Florence Foster Jenkins had been a very wealthy but very sheltered girl but in her later life, after receiving her large inheritance, she finally got a chance to pursue her lifelong dream, to be an opera singer. Only thing, she was absolutely awful, worse than awful. She seemed to not be able to hit one note, chose very vocally challenging songs, and did it with a sincere passion, and lavish costumes! She started having concerts that became very popular—many couldn’t get through a whole performance, rolling in laughter and had to excuse themselves. In 1944 she sold out Carnegie Hall! With some scalpers getting as much as $20 a ticket.
“Some may say that I couldn’t sing, but no one can say I didn’t sing.” —Florence Foster Jenkins
There is a play that has been written, ‘Souvenir’ (Stephen Temperley), hilarious. The Studio Theatre just staged it last season with Nancy Robinette (here in Washington DC).
To hear a legend, click here. This video makes my cats ears go back.
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