Famous Prima Donnas

Lewis Clinton Strang

Famous Prima Donnas by Lewis Clinton Strang is a captivating collection of biographical portraits of celebrated female performers from the world of opera, operetta, and musical theater during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With charm and precision, Strang brings to life the careers, personal stories, and artistic triumphs of 22 iconic women who shaped the golden era of stage performance. From the magnetic allure of Lillian Russell and the dramatic intensity of Marie Dressler, to the vocal brilliance of Alice Nielsen and Edna May, this book explores not just their contributions to the arts but also the social and cultural forces that helped define the role of women in entertainment. Each chapter offers a vivid blend of theatrical history, personal anecdotes, and insights into the challenges and acclaim these women experienced in their careers as prima donnas. Strang's work is more than a tribute—it's a documentation of transformation in American stage culture, gender roles in the performing arts, and the evolution of public celebrity. Ideal for scholars, students of theater, opera enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by historical figures of stage and song, this volume stands as both a historical resource and an engaging narrative collection.

Table of contents

• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER I ALICE NIELSEN
• CHAPTER II VIRGINIA EARLE
• CHAPTER III LILLIAN RUSSELL
• CHAPTER IV JOSEPHINE HALL
• CHAPTER V MABELLE GILMAN
• CHAPTER VI FAY TEMPLETON
• CHAPTER VII MADGE LESSING
• CHAPTER VIII JESSIE BARTLETT DAVIS
• CHAPTER IX EDNA WALLACE HOPPER
• CHAPTER X PAULA EDWARDES
• CHAPTER XI LULU GLASER
• CHAPTER XII MINNIE ASHLEY
• CHAPTER XIII EDNA MAY
• CHAPTER XIV MARIE CELESTE
• CHAPTER XV CHRISTIE MACDONALD
• CHAPTER XVI MARIE DRESSLER
• CHAPTER XVII DELLA FOX
• CHAPTER XVIII CAMILLE D'ARVILLE
• CHAPTER XIX MARIE TEMPEST
• CHAPTER XX MAUD RAYMOND
• CHAPTER XXI PAULINE HALL
• CHAPTER XXII HILDA CLARK