Mary Garden

Dates: 
1874-1967

Mary Garden was born in Aberdeen, but spent much of her later childhood in America. She trained in Paris, where she joined the Opera-Comique. She sang the lead role in Gustave Charpentier's opera Louise in 1900 and enjoyed unrivalled success until her retirement in 1934. Mary Garden was the composer's choice to create the role of Melisande in Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande. She moved to America in 1907, where she sang with, firstly, the Manhattan Opera Company and, secondly, the Chigaco Opera Company. She retired to Aberdeen.

Sources
The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women
Based on an entry by Flora Johnston