Women in Wolverhampton's History

Women in the Arts | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Dame Maggie Teyte DBE, Opera Singer (1888-1976)

Maggie was born Margaret Tate in April 1888, one of ten children of Jacob James Tate, a successful wine and spirit merchant.

The family first lived in Compton Road and then moved to Dunstall House, in the grounds of Dunstall Hall, in the northern suburbs of Wolverhampton. Her father owned several public houses including the Chequer Ball in North Street and the Old Still in King Street.

The Old Still, King Street, Wolverhampton, 1902 (L4/OLDST/E/2)

In 1896 Maria Tate, Maggie's mother, is listed as being the licensee of The Old Still.

Both of Maggie's parents were keen amateur musicians and opera enthusiasts. Her father had once travelled to Leipzig in Germany where he had studied piano under Leschetizsky; and her mother was invited to go on a world tour with the English tenor Sim Reeves, an offer she declined.

Maggie attended St Joseph's Convent School, Snow Hill, run by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy.

In 1898, when Maggie was ten years old, her father purchased the Caledonian Hotel in Adelphi Terrace, London, and the family moved south.

Maggie attended the Royal School of Music where she studied piano and music theory, confining her singing to the hotel. The hotel guests were often delighted with her repertoire. However a nearby resident of Adelphi Terrace, George Bernard Shaw, was not so impressed. One day Shaw sent round a note asking her mother if she could stop her daughter making such horrid noises!

Her big break came in 1903 when she appeared in a charity concert at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Maiden Lane off The Strand, London.
She was introduced by the priest in the following way:"The next number is not on the programme, a very young person will sing Tosti's 'Goodbye' but I think that after you have heard her no apologies will be needed. Miss Maggie Teyte!"

At the concert Maggie met Walter Rubens a man who was to change her life. Rubens was so impressed with her rendition of "Goodbye" that he invited her to meet his wealthy parents. They were obviously impressed also because they invited her to go and live with them. This offer came at a time just after the death of her father, and she accepted.

During her stay with the Rubens, Maggie met Lady Ripon who became one of her patrons and it was through her that an audition was arranged with Jean de Reske, a famous singing teacher in Paris.

The audition was a success; and in 1904 Maggie moved to Paris.

Maggie made her first public appearance in Paris in 1906 when she sang the parts of Cherubino and Zerlina in Le Nozze di Figaro and Zerlina in Don Giovanni, both operas by Mozart.

Her professional debut took place at the Opera House in Monte Carlo on 1st February 1907 where she performed with Paderewski. The following week, again at the Opera House in Monte Carlo, she sang the part of Zerlina.

She changed her name from Tate toTeyte and joined the Opera-Comique in Paris. After a few small parts she was cast as Melissande in Pellas et Melissande by Debussy. In order to learn the part she studied with the composer himself. Maggie is the only singer ever to be accompanied by Debussy on the piano with an orchestra in public

In 1909 she married Eugene de Plumon, a French advocate. The marriage was not a success, however, and ended in divorce in 1915.

In 1910 she portrayed Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, this time in London under the baton of Sir Thomas Beecham. The performance was greatly acclaimed.

Maggie Teyte was a member of the Chicago Opera Company from 1911-1914, and the Boston Opera Company from 1914-1917.

She married for a second time to Canadian millionaire Sherwin Cottingham in March 1921. They had met on one of Maggie's return trips from the USA. The couple divorced in 1931.

Between the wars Maggie appeared in operetta, musical comedy and also made a number of recordings, including music by Debussy, Faure and Berlioz.

During World War II Maggie sang in a series of concerts sponsored by the French Committee of National Liberation for which she received the Gold Cross of Lorraine for services to France.

It was during the war that she was offered a tour of the country that included a visit to her birthplace. Maggie is said to have uttered the words:

"Good God! Why Wolverhampton? Don't you know I was born there!"

The tour was subsequently cancelled!

After the war Maggie made a triumphant return to the United States where she sang in a number of concerts that were broadcast live.

In 1951 she made her final operatic appearance was in the part of Belinda in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas at the Mermaid Theatre in London.

Her final concert appearance took place at the Royal Festival Hall on 22nd April 1956.

Two years later Maggie Teyte was awarded the DBE for services to opera.

After spending her remaining years teaching, Maggie Teyte died on 27th May 1976.

Express and Star, 28th May 1976

| 1 | 2 | 3 |