May Peterson Thompson
Encyclopedia
May Esther Peterson Thompson (October 7, 1880 – October 8, 1952) was an opera singer for the Metropolitan Opera Company.
as May Esther Peterson. She was one of nine children of a Methodist minister. She began singing in 1884 at church meetings and later joined with her sister, Clara Peterson, an organist, to give recitals and concerts. She studied at The Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts
and in 1917 joined the Metropolitan Opera Company. She debuted as Michaela in Carmen
on November 29, 1917. She toured Europe with Frederick Delzell (piano) and sang with Opéra-Comique
in Paris
.
She married Ernest Othmer Thompson on June 9, 1924, in Bronxville, New York
. Afterward they traveled to Amarillo, Texas
to a reception held in the ballroom of the Amarillo Hotel, which Thompson owned and had built. She retired from the Metropolitan Opera Company after her marriage, but she continued doing concert tours. In 1932, after her husband was appointed to the Railroad Commission of Texas
, they moved to Austin, Texas
. On October 1, 1952 she had a cerebral hemorrhage at their summer house
in Estes Park, Colorado
, and she was in a coma. She was flown back to Austin, where she died at the Seton Infirmary on October 8, 1952 never regaining consciousness. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery
in Austin
.
Biography
She was born on October 7, 1880 in Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
as May Esther Peterson. She was one of nine children of a Methodist minister. She began singing in 1884 at church meetings and later joined with her sister, Clara Peterson, an organist, to give recitals and concerts. She studied at The Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts
The Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts
The Music Conservatory was founded in 1867 as the Chicago Musical College, a conservatory whose primary focus was the intensive and rigorous training of young men and women preparing for careers as professional musicians...
and in 1917 joined the Metropolitan Opera Company. She debuted as Michaela in Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
on November 29, 1917. She toured Europe with Frederick Delzell (piano) and sang with Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
She married Ernest Othmer Thompson on June 9, 1924, in Bronxville, New York
Bronxville, New York
Bronxville is an affluent village within the town of Eastchester, New York, in the United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately north of midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County. At the 2010 census, Bronxville had a population of 6,323...
. Afterward they traveled to Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
to a reception held in the ballroom of the Amarillo Hotel, which Thompson owned and had built. She retired from the Metropolitan Opera Company after her marriage, but she continued doing concert tours. In 1932, after her husband was appointed to the Railroad Commission of Texas
Railroad Commission of Texas
The Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining .Established by the Texas Legislature in 1891, it is the state's oldest regulatory...
, they moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. On October 1, 1952 she had a cerebral hemorrhage at their summer house
Summer house
A summer house or summerhouse has traditionally referred to a building or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. This would often take the form of a small, roofed building on the grounds of a larger one, but could also be built in a garden or park, often designed to provide cool shady places...
in Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...
, and she was in a coma. She was flown back to Austin, where she died at the Seton Infirmary on October 8, 1952 never regaining consciousness. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.