Woman of the Century/Laura Andrews Rhodes

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2291144Woman of the Century — Laura Andrews Rhodes

RHODES, Mrs. Laura Andrews, musician and opera singer, born in Casey, Ill., 1st October, 1854. She is the second oldest daughter of Rev. J. R. and Delilah Andrews, the parents of the Andrews family, of which the well-known Andrews Opera Company is mainly composed. LAURA ANDREWS RHODES. She possesses in a remarkable degree the musical ability which is the heritage of the Andrews family. She has a lyric soprano voice of great purity, richness and compass Among her instructors were Prof. W. N. Burritt, of Chicago, Prof. Lowenthal, of the Paris Conservatory, and Madam Corani, of the Conservatory of Milan. She began her stage career with the Andrews Concert Company at the age of seventeen. Soon after, she became the wife of F. B. Rhodes, a druggist, who, at one of their entertainments, became enamored of her voire and speedily thereafter of herself. They were married within six months after the first meeting. Since their marriage Mr. Rhodes has been connected with the opera company from time to time as business manager. When, a few years later, the Andrews family organized as the Andrews Swiss Bell Ringers, Mrs. Rhodes was the soprano bell ringer, becoming famous in that capacity. When the present Andrews Opera Company was organized. Mrs. Rhodes took the leading rdles ana for years was their prima donna, scoring success every- where and winning applause in nearly every State in the Union. In 1890 the constant strain of daily singing and the weariness of incessant travel brought on a severe attack of nervous prostration, from which she made a very tardy recovery. Although thus compelled to abandon the stage for a time, she has not been idle, but has been busily engaged in vocal teaching and in special solo work in the various Chautauqua assemblies of the Northwest