Grace Moore, Lawrence Tibbett, and Lily Pons make up only a small handful of the dozens of prominent opera singers who tried to establish themselves as film stars. In more recent years,even the beloved Luciano Pavarotti tried his hand at the movies with 1982's Yes,Giorgio. But for all of the opera greats who sought screen stardom, Geraldine Farrar has the distinction of being the only one among them who had what could truly be considered a spectacular career. The irony, is that she did it in silent films! Already a celebrated opera diva on the stage, Geraldine entered the world of motion pictures with Famous Players-Lasky in 1915, and was an instant success there as well. Her years as a film star were brief, lasting only a mere five years. But her frequent collaborations with Cecil B. DeMille produced a series of impressive and critically acclaimed productions. Her Carmen(1915) is a divine creation, and Farrar beautifully captures the various moods of the fiery gypsy. And in Joan The Woman(1916), she gives a commanding performance of startling intensity, and her death scene has to be one of the most visually evocative moments in motion picture history. In 1919, Geraldine moved to Goldwyn Studios, but these films lacked the prestige of her previous films for Lasky, and were bringing in rather disappointing returns at the box-office. When this situation was brought to her attention, Geraldine graciously tore up her contract and returned to the opera stage. After her superb conception of Carmen, it's lamentable that Farrar didn't commit more of her operatic heroines to the screen(i.e.Tosca,Madama Butterfly,Mimi,etc.)Fortuntately for us, a significant number of Farrar's films exist today, and two of her most outstanding productions are readily available to us on video.
Selected Reading
Lahue,Kalton C.Ladies in DistressSouth Brunswick and New York:A.S. Barnes and CO.,1971.pg.88-97
Bodeen,DeWitt.From HollywoodSouth Brunswick and New York.:A.S. Barnes,1976.pg.49-61
