Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.
French actress Sarah Bernhardt, “The World’s Greatest Artiste” performed the Death of Cleopatra and other tragic scenes. The original owner of this program was very moved by Bernhardt's performance and noted “She’s wonderful—But she tears one to pieces. I wasn’t fit to be seen for a week after.”
Star Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo Theater and Music Program Collection
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (Publisher of digital)
Bernhardt, Sarah, 1844-1923
Connor, W.F.
Bernhardt, Maurice
Cain, Henri, 1859-1937
Digital image copyright 2019 by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
eng
Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)
Sol Smith Russell was a leading actor known for his comic roles. His performance in A Poor Relation was one of many times he visited Buffalo. The Academy of Music, Buffalo's "Thespian Temple" from 1868 to 1895 was a successful venue that hosted some of the biggest stars of the late 19th century theatre.
Buffalo Academy of Music
Kidder, Edward E., 1846-1927
Russell, Sol Smith, 1848-1902
Vale, Noah
Hudson, Alfred
Barker, Mary E.
Irving, Clara
Stevens, George, 1860-1940
Late Nineteenth Century (1850-1900)
The child actress known as "Corinne" and her mother, Jennie Kimball, starred in this production. H.R. Jacobs of Albany managed theaters in Buffalo and several American cities.
Court Street Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Jacobs, H.R.
Corinne, 1873-1937
Kimball, Jennie, 1848-1896
Katharine Hepburn continued appearing on theatrical stages during her long movie career. She appeared in Buffalo a handful of times, including this Shakespearean performance. Hepburn has other local connections--her maternal grandparents lived here, and her mother, Kit, was born in Buffalo.
Erlanger Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
Hepburn, Katharine, 1907-2003
Prince, William, 1913-1996
Brown, Vanessa, 1928-
Parsons, Milton, 1904-1980
Mather, Aubrey, 1885-1958
Theatre Guild
Benthall, Michael
Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)
Concert programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.
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 worked with the burgeoning Buffalo Philharmonic.
Elmwood Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Federal Music Project (U.S.)
United States. Works Progress Administration
Autori, Franco, 1903-1990
Maier, Guy, 1892-1956
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 Michael and Genevieve Kraft were successful impresarios in Buffalo.
Buffalo Symphony Orchestra (est. 1921)
Cornelissen, Arnold
Schilsky, Charles
Ball, Joseph A.
Michael, Louise
Kraft, Genevieve
Carmen: An operatic fantasie in three acts
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.
Farrar, Geraldine, 1882-1967
Riegger, Neira
Noe, Emma
Pasinati, Luigi
Molitor, Edward
Peroni, Carlo (Conductor)
Gonvierre, Claude
Buffalo actress Katharine Cornell was regarded as the "First Lady of the Theatre." Her husband, Guthrie McClintic, directed this production. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Teck Theater (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Barnes, Margaret Ayer, 1886-1967
Sheldon, Edward, 1886-1946
Cornell, Katharine, 1893-1974
Lister, Francis, 1899-1951
Harvey, Paul, 1882-1955
Bonanova, Fortunio, 1895-1969
Fallows, Ruth
Miller, Gilbert
McClintic, Guthrie, 1893-1961
This is the earliest dated program in our collection. The location of the performance is unknown, but was likely an early Buffalo playhouse. Amelia Holman Gilfert (Mrs. Gilfert) was considered the first star of the American theater.
[Buffalo Theatre]
Gilfert, Amelia Holman
Early Nineteenth Century (1800-1850)
First evening meeting of the Chromatic Club
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 clothing store.
Chromatic Club (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Nichols, Edith Sterling
Tupper, Florence C.
Kleinhans, Mary Seaton
Chase, Florice
Choate, Evelyn
Actress Rosalind Russell performed as a member of Buffalo's "Teck Players" theater ensemble prior to her movie career. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Scott, Allan, 1906-1995
Russell, Rosalind
Haight, George
Buckler, Hugh
Clarke, John
West, Iris
Temple, Elaine
Liddle, James Whiting
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.
Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)
German Young Men’s Association (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo Orchestra (est. 1887)
Lund, John, 1859-1925
Buffalo Orpheus
Cornwell, William C.
Deutscher Saengerbund
Centura, Joseph
Buffalo Liedertafel
deu
Edwin Booth was one of the biggest stars of 19th-century American stage. During his career, he was known for his Shakespearian roles, especially his portrayal of Hamlet. Born into a famous acting family, the Booth name today is more likely associated with his brother, John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.
Booth, Edwin, 1833-1893
Rainford, Milton
Cummins, Ellen
Carroll, Jennie
Pierce, F. R.
Rogers, Benjamin G., 1819 or 1820-1895
Rosalind Russell performed as a member of Buffalo's "Teck Players" theater ensemble prior to her movie career. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Barry, Philip, 1896-1949
Fletcher, Lawrence, 1904-1970
Meskyl, Kathryn
Paget, Violet
Roland, Frederick
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.
Heifetz, Jascha, 1901-1987
Wolfsohn Musical Bureau
Smith, Mai Davis
Benoist, André, 1879-1953
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.
McCormack, John, 1884-1945
Schneider, Edwin
Kennedy, Lauri, 1896-1985
De Forest, Marian, 1864-1935
Wagner, Charles L. (Charles Ludwig)
McSweeney, D. F.
Buffalo Musical Foundation
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.
Consistory Auditorium (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Pons, Lily, 1898-1976
Alberghini, Luigi
Bamboschek, Giuseppe
Buffalo Broadcasting Corporation
Buffalo drama critic Marian de Forest wrote the first stage play of the novel Little Women. She and Jessie Bonstelle, an actress and theatre manager, received permission from Louisa May Alcott's family to write and stage the story. This production opened to rave reviews and became the hit of the 1912 Broadway season. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888
Hammond, Lynn
Berkeley, Gertrude
Brady, Alice, 1892-1939
Pavey, Marie
Hulette, Gladys
Brady, William A., 1863-1950
Bonstelle, Jessie
Harrison, Bertram
Helena Modjeska was an acclaimed Polish-born actress known for her Shakespearean roles. Buffalo's Star Theatre (W. Genesee and Pearl Streets) was a vibrant theatre venue from 1888 to 1919.
Modjeska, Helena, 1840-1909
Herman, Charles D.
Pratt, Lynn
Lonergan, Lester, 1869-1931
Fielding, Marguerite
Fisher, John C., approximately 1854-1921
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 successful impresario who brought renowned musicians and singers to Buffalo.
Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993
Berry, Zorah, 1889-1969
Vehanen, Kosti, 1887-1957