Anna Case (October 29, 1887 - January 7, 1984) was an American operatic lyric soprano. She recorded with Thomas Alva Edison, who used her voice extensively in "tone tests" of whether a live audience could tell the difference between the actual singer and a recording. In addition to recordings for Edison Records on both phonograph cylinder and Diamond Disc, Case recorded for Victor and Columbia Records, and made sound film for Vitaphone.
Biography Case was born in Clinton, New Jersey, on October 29, 1887,"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JT1B-FY6 : 20 May 2014), Anna Mackay, Feb 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)."United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-DZFC : 16 March 2018), Anna Case, 1920; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #174387, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 1077, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)."United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-TSDW : 16 March 2018), Anna Case, 1922; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #196201, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 2039, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)."Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-2C6H : 8 March 2021), Anna Case, 1925-1926; citing Ship Niagara, NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). and educated by vocal trainer Augusta Öhrström-Renard in New York. Case made her debut in 1909 at the New Theatre in New York as the Dutch Boy in Werther, and from 1909 to 1916 was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. In her first American performances, she created the roles of Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier (1913) and Feodor in Boris Godunov (1913). She sang Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann, Mimi in La Boheme, and Micaela in Carmen.
Case wrote the music and lyrics to several songs during the 1910s and 20s. She made her film debut in the 1919 silent drama film The Hidden Truth, and sang one of her original songs in the 1926 Vitaphone short La Fiesta. She also appeared in documentaries about sound recording. In 1930, she recorded "Just Awearyin' for You" by Frank Lebby Stanton and Carrie Jacobs-Bond. (accessed 7 February 2010).
On July 18, 1931, Case married ITT Corporation executive Clarence H. Mackay at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Roslyn, New York, and retired from the stage shortly afterwards. She began to write songs more prolifically in 1936, penning over 50 in two years, and sang occasionally at social events. Her husband died in November, 1938, and Case died in New York City on January 7, 1984, aged 96.
Upon her death, she bequeathed her 167.97-carat (33.59 g) Colombian emerald ring and Cartier necklace containing more than 2,000 diamonds, 35 emeralds and an oval cabochon-cut Columbian emerald of 167.97 carat to the Smithsonian Institution.See Clarence Mackay.
References
External links
Anna Case papers, 1912-1969 Music Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Anna Case recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. Anna Case cylinder recordings, from the UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive at the University of California, Santa Barbara Library.