Mary Garden (20 February 1874 - 3 January 1967), was a Scottish-American operatic soprano with a substantial career in France and America in the first third of the 20th century. She spent the latter part of her childhood and youth in the United States and eventually became an American citizen, although she lived in France for many years and eventually retired to Scotland, where she died.

 

Described as "the Sarah Bernhardt of opera", Garden was an exceptional actress as well as a talented singer. She was particularly admired for her nuanced performances which employed interesting uses of vocal color. Possessing a beautiful lyric voice that had a wide vocal range and considerable amount of flexibility, Garden first arose to success in Paris during the first decade of the 20th century. 

 

 

Miss Mary Garden was also an iodine aficionado! What was up with operatic sopranos and iodine? Here's another, Erica Koeth, German Operatic soprano: Erika Koeth Ms. Koeth used iodine to ward off illness... but still. Iodine was a CURE-ALL back in the day...