Woman of the Century/Clara Louise Kellogg

CLARA LOUISE KELLOGG. KELLOGG, Clara Louise, operatic singer, born in Sumterville, S. C., 12th July, 1842. She is a daughter of the well-known inventor, George Kellogg. Her childhood was spent in Birmingham, Conn. She received a good education and showed her musical talents at an early age. At the age of nine months she could hum a tune correctly, and the quickness and accuracy of her ear astonished the musicians. Her mother, a clairvoyant doctor, was a fine musician, and Clara, the only child, inherited her talents. In 1856 the family removed to New York City, where Clara began her musical studies in earnest, with a view to a professional career. She studied both the French and Italian methods of singing. In 1860 she made her debut in the Academy of Music, New York, as Gildain "Rigoletto," winning a modest triumph. In 1864 she won the public by her Marguerite in Gounod's "Faust," which has stood as the greatest impersonation of that role ever seen on the stage. After brilliant successes in this country, Miss Kellogg went to London, Eng., and appeared in Her Majesty's Theater. Her Marguerite there placed her on the topmost crest of the popular wave. She sang in the Handel Festival in the Crystal Palace in the same year. In 1868 she returned to the United States and made a concert-tour with Max Strakosch. In 1869 she again sang in Italian opera in New York City, appearing for three consecutive seasons, and always drawing crowded houses. She then organized an opera company to sing, in English. The organization was a success during 1874 and 1875. In one winter Miss Kellogg sang one-hundred-twenty-five nights. In 1876 she organized an Italian opera company, and appeared as Aida and Carmen. After the dissolution of that company she left the operatic stage and sang in concert throughout the country for several years In 1880 she accepted an operatic engagement in Austria, where she sang in Italian with a company of German singers. She extended her tour to Russia and sang in St Petersburg. Her list of grand operas includes forty-five. She is most closely identified with "Faust," "Crispino," "Traviata," "Aida" and "Carmen." Her voice in youth was a high soprano, with a range from C to E flat With age it lost some of the highest notes, but gained greatly in power and richness. She was the first American artist to win recognition in Europe. She has amassed a large fortune. Her latest appearance was on a concert-tour in 1889. She became the wife of Carl Strakosch several years ago and is now living in retirement.