Genevieve Rowe

Genevieve Rowe (August 28, 1908 - February 26, 1995) was a coloratura soprano in the era of old-time radio.^[1]

Genevieve Rowe
Born	August 28, 1908 (1908-08-28) Fremont, Ohio
Died	February 26, 1995 (1995-02-27) (aged 86) New York, New York
Alma mater	Wooster College Juilliard Graduate School of Opera
Spouse	Albert Payson Hill

Early years

Rowe was born in Fremont, Ohio.^[1] In her hometown of Wooster, Ohio,^[2] both of her parents were music educators; her father was dean of music at the Wooster College Conservatory, and her mother taught piano and music theory there.^[3] Although she began studying piano at age 4, she eventually came to prefer singing. She was a graduate of Wooster College^[4] with degrees in arts and music^[5] and studied on scholarship at the Juilliard Graduate School of Opera.^[3]

A 1939 newspaper article about Rowe noted, "Miss Rowe had the happy habit of winning every musical competition she entered."^[3] Those contests included the 1929 Atwater Kent national auditions, the 1932 McDowell Club Award,^[6] the 1933 National Federation of Music Clubs contest, and the 1938 Rising Musical Star competition on NBC radio.^[3]

Rowe gained early experience in radio when she sang over WTAM while she was a student at Wooster.^[5]

Career

In 1938,^[7] Rowe had the role of Beauty in Vittorio Giannini's Beauty and the Beast on CBS, radio's first commissioned opera.^[8] She also was one of the featured vocalists on The First American Opera Festival, a sustaining program that was broadcast on WOR in 1942. The one-hour program presented adaptations of seven operas and promoted sales of savings bonds and stamps for the U.S. Treasury Department.^[9]

On radio, Rowe was the female vocalist on Gaslight Gayeties^[10] and Harvest of Stars,.^[3] She performed regularly on Johnny Presents,^[11] the Burl Ives Coffee Club^[12]: 56 and the Gay Nineties Revue.^[12] Other shows on which she was heard included Melody Hall.^[13] In 1945 she used the pseudonym Irene Hill on one radio show because she was singing regularly on two network programs.^[14]

Rowe sang with the Montreal Opera, the Westchester Philharmonic Society, and other groups.^[15]

In 1947, Rowe and Glen Burris, accompanied by Paul Baron's orchestra, recorded The Student Prince Album (Majestic MZ-4), containing six discs.^[16] In 1948, Rowe — along with Lillian Cornell and Lawrence Brooks, accompanied by Sigmund Romberg's orchestra and chorus — recorded Gems From Sigmund Romberg Shows Vol. II (Victor MO 1256). The album contained four discs.^[17]

Personal life

Rowe was married to Albert Payson Hill, a teacher. He was a pianist who often accompanied her in concerts.^[8]