Leonora Sparkes

Lenora Beatrice Sparkes (1878 – June 8, 1969) was a British-American mezzo-soprano who performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in the 1910s.

[1][2] She was born in 1878 in Gloucestershire, England to Jacob Sparkes and Elizabeth Mountain.

Andreas Dippel heard her sing at Covent Garden and offered her a contract at the Metropolitan Opera in 1908.

[3] She appeared in the American premiere of Boris Godunov at the Metropolitan Opera as Tsarevna Xenia Borisovna of Russia on March 19, 1913 with Arturo Toscanini conducting.

[4] She sang with Enrico Caruso three times, including in the Met's production of Aida in 1913.