Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/806

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

THE WORLD OF WOMEN In this section will be included articles which will place in array before the reader women born to fill thrones and great positions, and women who, through their own genius, have achieved fame. _ It will also deal with great societies that are working in the interests of women. IVoman's Who's IVho 7 he Queens of the World Famous Women of the Past U'omiii's Societies Great Writers, Artists, and Actresses Women of Wealth Women's Clubs Wives of Great Men Mothers of Gi-eat Men, etc., etc. l^OMAN'S WHO'S W^HO Mkdiune C«valieri Phato, Fleet Agency MADAME LINA CAVALIERI DESCRIBED as the most beautiful singer on the operatic stage to-day, Madame Cavalieri (Mrs. Rol->crt Chanler) has had a most romantic career. In 1898 she was working in a printing- oKic' in Konic as a paper-folder. The pro- prietor of a small cafe chantant heard her singing at work, and offered her a few pence nightly to sing for him. Leoncavallo, the composer of " Pagliacci," was struck by her voice and ability, and offered to teach her s i ng ing, while M. M.irchand, manager of the Folies Bergeres in Paris, brought her to France, after hearing her sing in Italy. It was by these steps that the former paper-folder of Rome became one of the greatest attractions in the operatic world. Her beauty and exquisite soprano voice has captivated both Europe and America. Her one weakness is for jewels, her pearls and emeralds, which are celebrated all over the world, being worth ;^2 50,000. She married Mr. Robert W. Chanler. an American millionaire and member of th'- .stor family, in June, 19 10. LOUISE, DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE Qwi.Nc; to her successive marriages to the seventh Duke of Man- chester, who died in 1890, and the ejghth Duke of Devonshire, whom she wedded two years later, Louise Duchess of Devonshire, earned the title of the " double duchess." She will take her place in history as the last of the f^rundes dumcs. She has a genius for entertaining, is an excellent conversationalist, and IX)sscssrd of wonderful tact. At Chatsworth, where King Edward loved so much to stay, she played the part of hostess to perfection, and her political dinners in past years at Devonshire House are historic. The Duchess is of German birth. Before her first marriage she was Countc reigned as a young beauty at the Court of the King of Hanover. In fact, she married Viscount Mandeville in 1854, in the Chapel of the Palace of Hanover. Three years later the viscount succeeded to the dukedom of Man- chester. MISS ANNA HELD Louise Von Alton, and ALTHOUGH born Paris in 1873. Miss Anna Held Photo, Fleet ^g^ency Louise, Duchess of Devonsh Photo, Poole Miss Anna Held — in private life she is Mrs. Florence Ziegfeld — has achieved nearly all of her stage triumphs in America, where her beauty and cleverness have won her many thousands of admirers. At the same time " Lovely Anna Held " — to quote the description constantly applied to her, achieved a notable success at the Palace Theatre in London in 1895, and it was in the metropolis, at the Princess's Theatre in 1891, that she made her stage debut. She first appeared in New York at the Herald Square Theatre in 1896, in " A Parlour Match," and at once sprang into popular favour. " LaPoupee," " The Little Duchess," "Ma'm'selle Napoleon," are some of the other pieces she has appeared in, as well as " The Parisian Model," in which, on matinee days, she changed her gown no fewer than twenty-six times. Anna Held has two homes, one in Paris and one in New York, and is an ardent motorist. By the way, she attri- butes her constant good health and beautv to her daily cold-water bath.