Lily Pons (1898-1976)
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offical website |
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| She made a virtually unheralded debut at the Met in 1931 as Lucia, and the audience literally roared their approval after her rendition of the celebrated 'mad scene' in Act 3. The next day, she was front page news throughout the country. For an audience accustomed to buxom sopranos who scarcely suggested the character, Pons, with her 22 inch waist and petite frame, was a revelation. Suddenly, every Pons performance was a sellout, and she is credited in large part for saving the Met from bankruptcy during the depression. |