Sterling, Antoinette

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Sterling, Antoinette

Sterling, Antoinette, American contralto; b. Sterlingville, N.Y., Jan. 23, 1850; d. London, Jan. 9, 1904. She studied with Abella in N.Y., Mathilde Marchesi in Cologne, and Pauline Viardot-Garcia in Baden; also took lessons with Manuel Garcia in London. Returning to America (1871), she sang in Henry Ward Beecher’s church in Brooklyn; then went to London, where she made her debut at a Covent Garden Promenade Concert (Nov. 5, 1873). She introduced many favorite songs (most of which were composed especially for her), such as Arthur Sullivan’s Lost Chord (Jan. 31, 1877) and Barnby’s When the Tide Comes In. In 1875 she toured the U.S.; her permanent home was in London.

Bibliography

M. MacKinlay (her son), A. S. and Other Celebrities (London, 1906).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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Sterling, Antoinette

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