Lehmann, Liza (actually, Elizabeth Nina Mary Frederica)

Lehmann, Liza (actually, Elizabeth Nina Mary Frederica), English soprano and composer; b. London, July 11, 1862; d. Pinner, Sept. 19, 1918. She was the daughter of the painter Rudolf Lehmann and the composer and teacher Amelia Lehmann. She received vocal training from Randegger and Lind in London, and studied composition with Raunkilde in Rome, Freudenberg in Wiesbaden, and MacCunn in London. On Nov. 23, 1885, she made her debut in a recital at a Monday Popular Concert in London, and then sang in concerts throughout Europe. On July 14, 1894, she made her farewell concert appearance at St. James’ Hall in London, and later that year she married the painter and composer Herbert Bedford. In 1910 she made a tour of the U.S., accompanying herself at the piano in song recitals. In 1911-12 she served as the first president of the Soc. of Women Musicians. In later years, she was a prof. of voice at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Her autobiography appeared as The Life of Liza Lehmann, by Herself (London, 1919). As a composer, she became best known for her song cycle In a Persian Garden for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Piano (1896; London, Jan. 10, 1897), based on selections from Fitzgerald’s tr. of the Rubaiyāt of Omar Khayyām. Lehmann was the grandmother of David Bedford and Steuart Bedford.

Works

dramatic:Sergeant Brue, musical farce (London, June 14, 1904); The Vicar of Wakefield, romantic light opera (London, Nov. 12, 1906); The Happy Prince (1908); Everyman, opera (London, Dec. 28, 1915); incidental music.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire