Florence Hinkle Witherspoon was one of the foremost U.S. concert sopranos from 1913-1928. She began her career at 16 years old singing in churches in Philadelphia and as a soloist in the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, PA. She moved to sing in New York City's West End Collegiate Church and studied voice with Herbert Witherspoon basso of the Metropolitan Opera; they were married on June 16, 1916, in the West End Church, and moved to 148 W. 72nd St. Her first concert solos were at the 1913 Fifth Music Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She gave hundreds of recitals throughout the U.S. and Canada and several appearances as a soloist with major orchestras across the country, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She sang in several music festivals as a soloist with music societies: the Fitchburg Choral Society, MA; Litchfield County Choral Union, Norfolk, CT; New York Oratorio Society; Handel and Hayden Society and Apollo Society of Chicago. She became more widely known through several popular recordings on Victor Records.
She soloed in four Cincinnati May Festivals with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Cincinnati Music Hall: May Festival 1914; May Festival 1916; May Festival 1918 and May Festival 1920.
She retired from singing in 1928 and moved to Cincinnati with her husband when he became Director of Music and Dean of Faculty at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in September 1932. Herbert Witherspoon left Cincinnati after Florence died and became the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera but died soon after his post in 1935.
"Mrs. Florence Witherspoon Dies in Cincinnati," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) April 22, 1933, p. 12.
She soloed in four Cincinnati May Festivals with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Cincinnati Music Hall: May Festival 1914; May Festival 1916; May Festival 1918 and May Festival 1920.
She retired from singing in 1928 and moved to Cincinnati with her husband when he became Director of Music and Dean of Faculty at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in September 1932. Herbert Witherspoon left Cincinnati after Florence died and became the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera but died soon after his post in 1935.
"Mrs. Florence Witherspoon Dies in Cincinnati," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) April 22, 1933, p. 12.
Florence Hinkle Witherspoon was one of the foremost U.S. concert sopranos from 1913-1928. She began her career at 16 years old singing in churches in Philadelphia and as a soloist in the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, PA. She moved to sing in New York City's West End Collegiate Church and studied voice with Herbert Witherspoon basso of the Metropolitan Opera; they were married on June 16, 1916, in the West End Church, and moved to 148 W. 72nd St. Her first concert solos were at the 1913 Fifth Music Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She gave hundreds of recitals throughout the U.S. and Canada and several appearances as a soloist with major orchestras across the country, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She sang in several music festivals as a soloist with music societies: the Fitchburg Choral Society, MA; Litchfield County Choral Union, Norfolk, CT; New York Oratorio Society; Handel and Hayden Society and Apollo Society of Chicago. She became more widely known through several popular recordings on Victor Records.
She soloed in four Cincinnati May Festivals with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Cincinnati Music Hall: May Festival 1914; May Festival 1916; May Festival 1918 and May Festival 1920.
She retired from singing in 1928 and moved to Cincinnati with her husband when he became Director of Music and Dean of Faculty at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in September 1932. Herbert Witherspoon left Cincinnati after Florence died and became the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera but died soon after his post in 1935.
"Mrs. Florence Witherspoon Dies in Cincinnati," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) April 22, 1933, p. 12.
She soloed in four Cincinnati May Festivals with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Cincinnati Music Hall: May Festival 1914; May Festival 1916; May Festival 1918 and May Festival 1920.
She retired from singing in 1928 and moved to Cincinnati with her husband when he became Director of Music and Dean of Faculty at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in September 1932. Herbert Witherspoon left Cincinnati after Florence died and became the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera but died soon after his post in 1935.
"Mrs. Florence Witherspoon Dies in Cincinnati," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) April 22, 1933, p. 12.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Witherspoon or Hinkle memorials in:
- Spring Grove Cemetery Witherspoon or Hinkle
- Cincinnati Witherspoon or Hinkle
- Hamilton County Witherspoon or Hinkle
- Ohio Witherspoon or Hinkle
- USA Witherspoon or Hinkle
- Find a Grave Witherspoon or Hinkle
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
