Florence Foster Jenkins: Biography, Facts and Career
Who is Florence Foster Jenkins? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.
Florence Foster Jenkins (born Narcissa Florence Foster; July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was an American socialite and amateur coloratura soprano who became known and mocked for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability. Stephen Pile, in his book The Book of Heroic Failures ranked her "the world's worst opera singer ... No one, before or since, has succeeded in liberating themselves quite so completely from the shackles of musical notation." Despite – or perhaps because of – her technical incompetence, she became a prominent musical camp cult figure in New York City during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Cole Porter, Gian Carlo Menotti, Lily Pons, Sir Thomas Beecham, and other celebrities were among her fans. Enrico Caruso reportedly "regarded her with affection and respect." The poet William Meredith wrote that a Jenkins recital "was never exactly an aesthetic experience, or only to the degree that an early Christian among the lions provided aesthetic experience; it was chiefly immolatory, and Madame Jenkins was always eaten, in the end."
Quick facts about Florence Foster Jenkins
- Full name: Florence Foster Jenkins
- Born: 1868-07-19
- Nationality: United States
- Known as: Musician
- Wikidata ID: Q275982
Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Florence Foster Jenkins?
Florence Foster Jenkins (born Narcissa Florence Foster; July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was an American socialite and amateur coloratura soprano who became known and mocked for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability.
What nationality is Florence Foster Jenkins?
Florence Foster Jenkins is United States.
When was Florence Foster Jenkins born?
Florence Foster Jenkins was born on 1868-07-19.
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