| Variations of Name | Evangeline Florence Houghton |
| Biography | Christian names of Miss E. F. Houghton, who dropped her surname to prevent confusion with another singer of the same name in London. She was born in Cambridge, Mass.; and first studied singing in Boston with the late Mme. Edna Hall, wellknown as a concert singer in London in the early 70s. Miss Florence's debut was made in Flotow's Martha when she was eighteen, and she created a sensation by her singing of The Last Rose of Summer an octave higher than originally written. Her voice is of phenomenal compass. Later she studied in London with Henschel, Blume, Randegger and the late Mrs. Rudolph Lehmann. Her London debut was made at St. James Hall in 1892 at a concert. The same year she sang Elsa's Dream at Henschel's Symphony concerts; the next year appeared in the first production of Parry's Job, given by the Highbury Society and at the Popular concerts, the London Ballad concerts and the Crystal Palace concerts. In 1894 Miss Florence sang at the Hereford Festival; in 1897 and 1900 at the Birmingham Festival and has appeared since then frequently with the Philharmonic and Royal Choral Society. For many years she has been principal soprano at Messrs. Beesey's Ballad concerts. She has made tours through Australia and the Continent. |