Devora Nadworney Explained

Devora Nadworney
Birth Date:	1895
Birth Place:	New York City
Death Date:	January 7, 1948 (age 52)
Death Place:	New York
Occupation:	Contralto opera singer

Devora Nadworney (1895 – January 7, 1948) was an American operatic contralto singer.

Early life

Nadworney was born in New York City,^[1] the daughter of Russian immigrants. She lived in Bayonne, New Jersey, and attended the Bayonne High School. She went on to attend Hunter College, where she received her B.A. She later taught elementary school^[2] while studying music in New York at the Aborn School of Opera.^[3] She also studied with Johanna Bayerlee and Estelle Liebling.^{[4] [5]} She sang on benefit programs with opera stars during World War I.

In 1921, she won a prize from the Tri-City Convention of the National Federation of Music Clubs.^{[6] [7]} A year later, in 1922, she was given the National Prize for Voice.

Career

Nadworney was a contralto singer.^[8] "Few young contraltos at present before the public can rival the equipment of Devora Nadworney", commented one publication in 1918. She was under the management of Annie Friedberg in 1918,^[9] and sang at Liberty Loan fundraisers^[10] and gave concerts for the troops stationed near New York City during World War I.^[11] She sometimes gave concerts of Russian folk songs while dressed in traditional embroidered costume.^[12] She was also popular as a church soloist, in oratorios.^[13] In 1921 she made a recording for the Victor Talking Machine Company.^[14]

Nadworney had the distinction of being the first singer heard over a radio network in the United States, in 1928. Through the 1920s and into the 1930s she was especially active in radio.^[15] She sang the lead in Carmen on air in 1925, and Aida in 1926, both with the WEAF Grand Opera Company, under conductor Cesare Sodero.^[16] She was associated with the Chicago Civic Opera from 1925 until at least 1934.^[17]

In 1945 she sang at a noon concert at New York City's Town Hall.^[18]

Personal life and legacy

Devora Nadworney married lawyer Herman Spingarn in 1935; and they divorced in 1941. She died in 1948, aged 52 years, in New York. Her obituary listing in Billboard Magazine described her as a "pioneer radio contralto... one of the first singers to perform over radio."^{[19] [20]}

The National Federation of Music Clubs offers the Devora Nadworney Award for young composers.^[21]

Notes and References

1. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22733217/devora_nadworney_1928/ "Devora Nadworney Has Distinct Honor"
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=3mdUAAAAYAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA217 "Appointments – Elementary Schools"
3. https://books.google.com/books?id=qUc0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA174 "Long List of Promising Singers in Personnel of Aborn Opera Classes"
4. https://books.google.com/books?id=6GhFAQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=RA16-PA16 "Artist from the Bayerlee Studio Wins Great Success"
5. Estelle Liebling: An exploration of her pedagogical principles as an extension and elaboration of the Marchesi method, including a survey of her music and editing for coloratura soprano and other voices. Alandra. Dean Fowler. 1994. PhD. University of Arizona.
6. https://books.google.com/books?id=pjg_AQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora%20Nadworney&pg=RA25-PA32 "Mme. Bayerlee's Pupil is Prize Winner in Federation Contest"
7. https://books.google.com/books?id=pjg_AQAAMAAJ&q=Nadworney&pg=RA25-PA2 "Winners of Contests Sponsored by Music Clubs Show Real Talent"
8. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22733357/devora_nadworney_1926/ "Cast for Grand Opera 'Aida' From KSD Tomorrow Night"
9. https://books.google.com/books?id=qUc0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=RA10-PA29 "Devora Nadworny Under Management of Annie Friedberg"
10. https://books.google.com/books?id=L19FAQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA392 "Give War Service"
11. https://books.google.com/books?id=qUc0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA61 "Devora Nadworney Sings at Camp Concerts"
12. https://books.google.com/books?id=N-U6AQAAMAAJ&dq=Devora%20Nadworney&pg=RA24-PA52 "Devora Nadworney's Fine Notices"
13. https://books.google.com/books?id=Z7qzxK4ZascC&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA63 "Devora Nadworney: National Prize Winner in N. F. M. C. Contest"
14. Discography of American Historical Recordings, "Devora Nadworney (vocalist : soprano vocal)".
15. Victoria Etnier Villamil, From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age (UPNE 2004): 16.
16. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22732519/devora_nadworney_1925/ "World's Series and Great Array of Super-Concerts on WCAE Radio Schedule"
17. https://www.jta.org/1934/05/02/archive/local-jewry-hails-tribute-to-ussishkin "Local Jewry Hails Tribute to Ussishkin"
18. "Devora Nadworney Sings at Town Hall" New York Times (October 15, 1945): 24. via ProQuest
19. https://books.google.com/books?id=efUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Devora+Nadworney&pg=PA46 "The Final Curtain"
20. "Devora Nadworney" New York Times (January 8, 1948): 25. via ProQuest
21. http://www.scholarshiplibrary.com/wiki/NFMC_Devora_Nadworney_Award NFMC Devora Nadworney Award