FANNY HELDY
CARNET DE SOUVENIRS D’UNE CANTATRICE 1910 – 1940
Par Jacqueline Aymeries
Preface de Roberto Alagna
www.pippa.fr 14.90 Euro
The ‘souvenirs’ the title refers to are mainly made up of photographic material, as it is more of a scrapbook of the Belgian diva. Indeed we get 95 pages of numerous unique memorabilia , photos and a repertory listing of the photogenic singer born as Marguerite Deceuninck in the Belgian province of Hainaut in 1888. While some claim she made her debut at the Brussels Munt it was apparently at the Ghent opera where she made her first stage appearances in the 1910 season. Heldy retired from the scene with the advent of world war II enjoying the unique honour of having her own box at the Paris Garnier opera.
Heldy died in 1973 and was buried at the Paris Montmartre cemetery. The booklet is a must for everyone interested in divas of the past.