Adams, Suzanne

1873-

Distinguished American operatic and concert singer. She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a daughter of Mr. John Gedney Adams, and inherits a taste for music from both sides of the family. On the maternal side of Irish and Spanish ancestry, Suzanne Adams' appearance and personality bespeak the rich Celtic and Latin strains. She is instinctively dramatic, infusing into her roles her own personality. She early showed musical talent, went abroad for study and was a pupil of Jacques Bouhy in Paris. Her career has been, on the whole, an easy one. When she made her debut, as Juliet, at the Grand Opera, Paris, in 1895, she was yielded appreciation by both critics and public. She remained at the Grand Opera, Paris, for three years, where she sang the roles of Juliet, Marguerite, Gilda, and appeared in The Huguenots. Then followed a season at Nice, where she sang all her repertory. In 1898 she was engaged by Maurice Grau at Covent Garden, London. Suzanne Adams was very successful her first season in London, singing at the first state concert, at Buckingham Palace and before the Queen at Windsor Castle. In November, 1898, she made her debut in America, as Juliet, at the Auditorium, Chicago, and for successive seasons in America and England was one of the chief stars of the Grau Grand Opera Company. Both in America and England she has sung in concert tours. She sang every season at Buckingham Palace, was a great favorite with Queen Victoria, and sang Marguerite in Faust in the last performance ever given before the late Queen. She possesses several gifts presented her by Victoria, among them an autographed photograph and a diamond and sapphire bracelet. Suzanne Adams was married to Leo Stern, the celebrated English violoncellist in 1898, toured with him in this country in 1902 and 1903, and the latter year settled in London, where she has a house and now makes her home. On his death, which occurred in 1904, she retired from the stage for a year. In 1905 she returned to public life. She sings in opera, concerts, and oratorios, and appears regularly at Covent Garden. In November, 1907, at the Auditorium, Chicago, she made her first appearance on the vaudeville stage Suzanne Adams has won eminent success as Juliet, Marguerite, Gilda, Micaela, Zerline, and Donna Elvira, and is especially fond of Mozart roles.