Opera about Susan B. Anthony at Queensbury in 1971

The Center Opera Company of Minneapolis opened a week-long visit to Queensbury on July 20, 1971 with the local premier of “The Mother of Us All,” an opera based on the life of Susan B. Anthony and the woman’s suffrage movement.

The local production was a revised version of an original opera the company premiered at Minnesota in 1967, The Post-Star reported on July 21, 1971.

The group performed “The Mother of Us All” July 20 and 21 at Queensbury High School Auditorium and “Faust Counters Faust” July 23 and 24.

“The company’s engagement here is a prelude to a New York City appearance July 31 through Aug. 4.”

The following are other regional music history fun facts collected from northern New York historic newspapers.

• On Sept. 18, 1922, The Post-Star reported that 14-year-old John Wentworth, a member of the Boys’ Choir of Church of the Redeemer in Chicago, sang a solo the previous day at the morning service at Church of the Messiah Episcopal in Glens Falls.

“The young man sings soprano and contralto equally well. The solo yesterday was contralto.”

• On Nov. 6, 1886, The Morning Star reported that the Fort Edward Choral Union added 11 members on Nov. 4.

“This organization is now in a flourishing condition, and we can boast as many, if not more, good singers than any other village of our size in the state.”

• On July 19, 1971, The Post-Star reported that a “near capacity” audience attended the opening program at Queensbury High School auditorium of the 10th season of the Lake George Opera Festival. The performance was a concert version of Gounod’s “Faust.”
• On Aug. 23, 1889, The Granville Sentinel reported that Welsh tenor John Thomas performed at Norton Hall in Granville.

The well-attended concert was “eminently satisfactory” in financial and musical aspects, but a rowdy audience marred the concert experience.

“It was due to no fault of the singers participating that the concert did not materialize as a model of its kind,” the Sentinel reported. “The audience, however, is quite an important part of any entertainment, and, until a certain disagreeably prominent element in the patronage of this house can be made to understand that a concert is not a bull fight, and that cockpit manners and the aroma of stale beer are not necessary adjuncts of a well gotten up entertainment, the only hope for those who enjoy refined public amusement is to go out of town for it or secure a high enough admission to exclude the disorderly element.”

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