Jean Dickenson (born 1913 or 1914)[1] is an American former singer.

Early life

Born in Montreal, Dickenson was the daughter of mining engineer Ernest Heathcote Dickenson[2] and novelist May Dickenson.[3] Her father's work took him to several countries, with the family living in the Philippines, India,[4] Europe, and South Africa before settling in Denver, Colorado, when Dickenson was 14 years old. There she began taking singing lessons after having previously studied piano. She graduated from the Lamont School of Music[5] after gaining her primary education in New York City and her secondary education in San Francisco.[6]

While Dickenson was a student at Lamont, she won a national singing contest from a group of 200 sopranos.[3]

Career

During her final year at Lamont, Dickenson was featured on the NBC radio program Golden Melodies, which originated at KOA in Denver. After that, she sang on Hollywood Hotel and The American Album of Familiar Music.[5]

A protege of Lily Pons,[7] Dickenson sang with symphonies in Denver and Milwaukee, the Little Symphony in Montreal,[2] the Cincinnati Summer Opera,[6] the San Carlo Opera Company, and with the Denver Grand Opera Company.[8] On January 26, 1940, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut, portraying Philena in Mignon.[2]

On radio, Dickenson sang on The American Album of Familiar Music for at least eight years.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Jean Dickenson has opera debut". The New York Times. January 27, 1940. p. 12. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Niece of J.G. Dickenson Making Debut at Metropolitan". The Ottawa Journal. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. January 26, 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 28 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "When Judges Went in Huddle". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. November 9, 1940. p. 127. Retrieved 30 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Jacobs, Mary (September 19, 1937). "Men Like Me". The South Bend Tribune. Indiana, South Bend. p. 47. Retrieved 30 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "Town Hall Books Jean Dickenson and Chicago String Ensemble". The Escanaba Daily Press. Michigan, Escanaba. September 18, 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "Jean Dickenson To Be Soloist At Symphony Concert Friday". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Ohio, Cincinnati. October 17, 1943. p. 63. Retrieved 30 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Villamil, Victoria Etnier (2004). From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age. UPNE. p. 20. ISBN 9781555536350. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  8. ↑ "New 'Met' Star To Sing 'Lucia' Here March 28". The Morning Call. Pennsylvania, Allentown. March 17, 1940. p. 8. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Capacity Crowd Is Expected At Jean Dickenson Concert". The Escanaba Daily Press. Michigan, Escanaba. February 18, 1947. p. 7. Retrieved 29 July 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
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