Item Detail
-
McFarlane, Viola Pratt Gillette
-
1871-1956
-
MSS 328
-
Papers
-
Viola Pratt Gillette McFarlane was born October 7, 1871 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Patriarch Milando Merrill and Elizabeth (Rich) Pratt. Viola 's grandfathers were Apostles Orson Pratt and Charles Coulson Rich. Viola had early training in her vocal career from Professor Evan Stephens, director of the Salt Lake Opera Company. She also practiced with J.J. McClellan and Willard Weihe. Viola's first appearance in the Salt Lake Theater occurred when she was about eight years old. Viola attended the University of Deseret for a time, then graduated from the University of Utah. Following her college graduation she taught music lessons at a number of Salt Lake public schools. Once she had earned enough money, Viola moved to New York to continue her singing career. Her cousin, Ruth Eldredge, accompanied her to study dramatics. In New York Viola found a job singing with the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church choir. In addition, Viola sang wherever she could get a part and quickly became well-known for her vocal and dramatic talents. Viola became quite involved in the entertainment industry and sang with many opera companies including the English Grand Opera Company and the Shubert Theatre Corp. Over the years Viola toured the world singing in operas including The Daughter of the Regiment, Bohemian Girl, La Traviata, Robin Hood, Pirates of Penzance, Martha, and Chimes of Normandie. She sang in England, Australia, Canada, and many places in the United States. In 1896 Viola married George H. Gillette. After Gillette's death, Viola married George McFarlane, a New York Producer and Hollywood Executive, on September 12, 1907. Following McFarlane's death in 1932 Viola stopped performing, saying that she had no heart to go on. After retiring from her singing career, Viola returned to Utah. She was a charter member of the Emeritus Club of the University of Utah Alumni Association and in 1949 became Vice President of the club. Viola died of cancer on April 1, 1956 in Salt Lake, Utah.
-
There are four folders that make up this collection. The first folder includes a program of the opera, The Wonder Bar, performed in October 1931. Viola performed in this opera playing the part of an American visitor. This folder also has a Cosmopolitan magazine from August 1903 and a 1927 publicity announcement for the Los Angeles Grand Opera Association. The second folder holds an Equity Minimum Contract between Viola and the Shubert Theatre Corp. that was signed November 6, 1926. The contract lists all the rules and obligations of both the company and the performers. The second folder also contains a Christmas card from Mr. and Mrs. George McFarlane and a letter to Viola from LeRoy E. Cowles, president of the University of Utah, dated September 12, 1942. The third folder holds three pages of typed excerpts from press notices and about 20 xerox copies of newspaper articles that mentioned Viola. The fourth folder has four photographs: three of Viola in costume and one of her home in Long Island. It also contains a letter that Viola wrote to the public that gives most of her background and biographical information. The letter is written with much warmth and gratitude toward the public.
-
1909-1910