This is a rare February 1914 program (playbill) for concert performances at the historic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. On Wednesday evening, February 11th, 1914 and Saturday afternoon, February 14th, 1914, the Celebrated Irish Tenor JOHN McCORMACK presented recitals with DONALD MACBEATH, violinist and VINCENT O'BRIEN at the piano.

Biographical note: JOHN FRANCIS McCORMACK (June 14th 1884 – September 16th, 1945), was an Irish lyric tenor celebrated for his performances of the operatic and popular song repertoires, and renowned for his diction and breath control. McCormack was born in Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland, the second son and fifth of the 11 children (five of whom died in infancy or childhood) of Andrew McCormack and his wife Hannah Watson. McCormack sang in the choir of the old St. Peters Church in Athlone under his choirmaster Michael Kilkelly. When the family moved to Dublin, he sang in the choir of St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral where he was discovered by Vincent O'Brien. In 1903, he won the coveted gold medal of the Dublin Feis Ceoil. In March 1904, McCormack became associated with James Joyce, who at the time had singing ambitions himself. Richard Ellmann, in his biography of Joyce, states that "Joyce spent several evenings with him" (McCormack), practising; along with Joyce's acquaintance Richard Best; McCormack persuaded Joyce to enter the Feis Ceoil that year, where the not yet famous writer was awarded the Bronze Medal (3rd prize). Fundraising activities on his behalf enabled McCormack to travel to Italy in 1905 to receive voice training by Vincenzo Sabatini (father of the novelist Rafael Sabatini) in Milan. McCormack married Lily Foley in 1906; they had two children, Cyril and Gwen. In 1906, he made his operatic début at the Teatro Chiabrera, Savona. The next year, he began his first important operatic performance at Covent Garden in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, becoming the theatre's youngest principal tenor. In 1909, he began his career in America. In February 1911, McCormack played Lieutenant Paul Merrill in the World Premiere of Victor Herbert's opera Natoma with Mary Garden in the title role. Later that year, he toured Australia after Dame Nellie Melba engaged him, then at the height of his operatic career, aged 27, as a star tenor for the Melba Grand Opera Season. He returned for concert tours in subsequent years. By 1912, he was beginning to become involved increasingly with concert performances, where his voice quality and charisma ensured that he became the most celebrated lyric tenor of his time. He did not, however, retire from the operatic stage until after his performance of 1923 in Monte Carlo, although by then the top notes of his voice had contracted. McCormack made hundreds of recordings, his best-known and most commercially successful series of records being those for the Victor Talking Machine Company during the 1910s and 1920s. He was Victor's most popular Red Seal recording artist after tenor Enrico Caruso. In the 1920s, he sang regularly on radio and later appeared in two sound films, Song o' My Heart, released in 1930, playing an Irish tenor, and as himself appearing in a party scene in Wings of the Morning (1937), the first British three-strip Technicolor feature. In 1917, McCormack became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In June 1918, he donated $11,458 ($215,296 in 2024) towards the USA's World War I effort. By then, his career was a huge financial success, earning millions in his lifetime from record sales and appearances. In 1927, McCormack moved into Moore Abbey, Monasterevin, County Kildare, and adopted a very opulent lifestyle by Irish standards. He also owned apartments in London and New York. McCormack also bought Runyon Canyon in Hollywood in 1930 from Carman Runyon. McCormack saw and liked the estate while there filming Song o' My Heart (1930), and used his salary for this movie to purchase the estate and built a mansion he called "San Patrizio", after Saint Patrick. McCormack and his wife lived in the mansion until they returned to England in 1938. McCormack originally ended his career at the Royal Albert Hall in London, during 1938. However, a year after that farewell concert, he was back singing for the Red Cross in support of the war effort. He gave concerts, toured, broadcast and recorded in this capacity until 1943 when poor health finally forced him to retire permanently. (Wikipedia)

DETAILS: The 28 page program measures 6 3/4" X 10 1/4" inches and includes the concert repertoires, photos and bios of each of the artists, program notes, schedule of upcoming concerts and wonderful vintage advertising. Includes the concert details for Coloratura Soprano YVONNE de TREVILLE on February 17th, 1914, Dramatic Soprano Mme. JEANNE JOMELLI in a joint recital with Pianist RAOUL LAPARRA on February 19th, 1914 and Violin virtuoso FRITZ KREISLER on February 24th, 1914.

CONDITION: (Please Note!) There is soiling to the covers, light creasing and minor edge wear. Despite these flaws, this rare program will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any classical music aficionado or opera historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.