Mary Cardwell Dawson

Mary Cardwell Dawson
Born
Mary Lucinda Cardwell

1894 (1894)
Madison, North Carolina, US
Died1962 (aged 67–68)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materNew England Conservatory of Music
Chicago Musical College
Occupation(s)Opera director, educator
Spouse
Walter Dawson
​
(m. 1927)​

Mary Lucinda Cardwell Dawson (1894–1962) was an American opera singer and voice teacher. She was the founding director of the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC). In 1961, Dawson was appointed to the National Music Committee by President John F. Kennedy.

Early life and education

Mary Lucinda Cardwell Dawson was born on February 14, 1894 in Madison, North Carolina to James Abraham "J.A." Cardwell and Elizabeth Webster Cardwell.[1] She is the third of six children[2] and spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence in Homestead, Pennsylvania which is a suburb of Pittsburgh.

Growing up in Homestead, Mary Lucinda attended Homestead Grammar School and was surrounded by music. She participated in the music ministry at her home church Park Place A.M.E. Church (formerly known as Gladden A.M.E. Church).[3] And engaged in various musical endeavors around the Pittsburgh Area.[4][5] by 1914, she began to teach music and voice lessons. [6]

In 1920, Cardwell left home for Boston, Massachusetts where she studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and Central Evening High School. She earned her high school diploma on April 11, 1924[7] and graduated from New England Conservatory of Music on June 23, 1925[8][9] with a teacher's diploma.[10] She continued her studies at the Chicago Musical College[11] and The Metropolitan Opera Studios in New York City.

Cardwell School of Music

After graduating, Mary Lucinda Cardwell came back to Homestead and in 1925 she started the Cardwell School of Music at 6356 Frankstown Avenue in the East Liberty Neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[12][13] The school was a success,routinely accumulated new staff, and moved twice; firstly to 6295 Frankstown Avenue in East Liberty[14] and then, in 1933, to 7101 Apple St. in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[15] This endeavor also yielded the Cardwell Dawson Choir.[16]

Marriage

In 1927, Madame Dawson married Walter Dawson, a master electrician.

National Negro Opera Company

Mary Cardwell Dawson's House at 7101 Apple Street in the Homewood West neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was the original home of the National Negro Opera Company.

After presenting the opera Aida at the National Association of Negro Musicians convention of 1941, Dawson launched her National Negro Opera Company (NNOC) later that same year with a performance at Pittsburgh's Syria Mosque..[17] The star was La Julia Rhea, and other members included Minto Cato, Carol Brice, Robert McFerrin, and Lillian Evanti. NNOC mounted productions in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.[11]

Dawson was devoted to bringing opera to African American audiences. She organized opera guilds in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Newark, and New York. She trained hundreds of African American youth to sing opera.[10]

In 1961, Dawson was appointed to the National Music Committee by President John F. Kennedy.[11]

Death

Dawson died in 1962 in Washington, D.C. of a heart attack.[10]

The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson[18]

The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson is a play that was commissioned and premiered at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York in 2021. The play and text for music were written by Sandra Seaton with original music by Carlos Simon. The play tells the story of her founding of the National Negro Opera Company. Total run time is 70 minutes.[19]

Cast and artistic team of premiere[18]

Principals
Madame Mary Cardwell Dawson Denyce Graves
Isabelle Victoria Lawal
Phoebe Mia Athey
Frank Jonathan Pierce Rhodes
Music staff
Music director/pianist/principal coach Kevin Miller
Production personnel
Director Kimille Howard
Set designer Peter Davison
Costume designer Jessica Jahn
Lighting designer Amith Chandrashaker
Sound designer Andrew Harper
Hair and makeup designer Cassie Williams
Production stage manager Dustin Z West
Supertitles Kelley Rourke
Assistant director Ian Silverman
Assistant stage manager Kayla Uribe

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Bryan, Karen M. (2003). "Radiating a Hope: Mary Cardwell Dawson as Educator and Activist". Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. 25 (1): 20–35. doi:10.1177/153660060302500104. JSTOR 40215275. S2CID 140507414.
  2. ^ Burgess, Candace. "Mary Cardwell Dawson's Immediate family". musicmustgoon.omeka.net. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  3. ^ "Women's Day Gladden AME MCD". The Pittsburgh Press. 1911-07-30. p. 34. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  4. ^ "Mary Cardwell Dawson Choir at the Grace Memorial Presbyterian church". The Pittsburgh Press. 1919-01-19. p. 60. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  5. ^ "The Pittsburgh Courier Homestead column Friday, September 06, 1912 Homestead Orchestra". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1912-09-06. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  6. ^ Burgess, C. (2024-04-11), April 2024 MusMGO 1896- Jun 1925 Horizontal timeline pics - mcd teacher, retrieved 2024-05-09
  7. ^ "Nearly 100 in the Class of Central Evening High School". The Boston Globe. 1924-04-11. p. 14. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  8. ^ "New England Conservatory of music commencment". The Boston Globe. 1925-06-23. p. 23. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  9. ^ "Homestead Girl "Grad" of Boston Conservatory". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1925-07-04. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  10. ^ a b c Kagawa, Grant (7 April 2011). "Mary Lucinda Dawson (1894–1962)". BlackPast. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  11. ^ a b c "Mary Cardwell Dawson". Pittsburgh Music History. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Cardwell School of Music". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1925-11-14. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  13. ^ "Cardwell School of Music December 1925". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1925-12-19. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  14. ^ "Cardwell School of music to remove". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1929-08-31. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  15. ^ "Cardwell school of music in new Apple Ave home". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1933-11-25. p. 9. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  16. ^ "Mary Cardwell Dawson". Duke University Library. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  17. ^ O'Donnell, Bill (2020-09-28). "Black Opera Company's Historic Pittsburgh Headquarters Called 'Endangered' By National Group". WESA FM. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  18. ^ a b "The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson". The Glimmerglass Festival. 2021-03-12. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  19. ^ "The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson Digital Program". The Glimmerglass Festival. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  20. ^ "National Negro Opera Company Programs and Promotional Materials: Henry P. Whitehead Collection". Anacostia Community Museum Archives. Smithsonian Digital Volunteers: Transcription Center. Retrieved 8 February 2019.

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