Browse Items (26 total)

The Federal Music Project (FMP) was part of the New Deal/Works Progress Administration program to employ musicians, conductors and composers during the Great Depression.Conductor Franco Autori joined the FMP and came to Buffalo in 1936, where he…

The Buffalo Symphony Orchestra of the 1920s (not to be confused with other early Buffalo orchestras with similar names) was led by Arnold Cornelissen. A young Harold Arlen, who grew up in Buffalo, took piano lessons from Maestro Cornelissen.Louise…

American opera singer Geraldine Farrar starred in Carmen on stage, and later in the silent movie version. This production was presented by Louise Michael and Genevieve Kraft, successful Buffalo impresarios.

Established in 1898, the Chromatic Club of Buffalo still exists today, and is our oldest active music organization. This event in 1903 was attended by Mary Seaton Kleinhans, an accomplished pianist and vocalist, and wife of the owner of Kleinhan's…

The Music Hall on Main Street opened on October 18, 1887, and was the and later was completely remodeled into the Teck Theater in 1900.

Russian-American violinist Jascha Heifetz is known as one of the greatest violinists of all time. Mai Davis Smith, the first professional impresario in Buffalo, engaged him to play here when he was still a teenager.

John McCormack was a celebrated Irish tenor. This concert was presented by the Buffalo Musical Foundation, an organization established by Mai Davis Smith and continued by her partner, Marian De Forest.

Lily Pons was a French-American operatic soprano and actress. As an opera singer she was particularly associated with the title roles in Lakmé and Lucia di Lammermoor, and frequently performed with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Marian Anderson was an African-American contralto known for her rich and vibrant voice. Although she was banned from some stages due to racial discrimination, she performed in Buffalo several times in concerts presented by Zorah Berry. Berry was a…

The Statler Hotel Ballroom hosted many musical performers, including French composer and conductor Maurice Ravel. Buffalo Morning Express drama critic and playwright Marian de Forest managed the Buffalo Musical Foundation and presented this concert.