Irish Tenor John McCormack Makes His Debut at Boston Symphony Hall 100 Years Ago

One hundred years ago this month, on February 5, 1911, Irish tenor John McCormack made his singing debut at Boston Symphony Hall, according to Irish Boston: A Lively Look at Boston's Colorful Irish Past.

McCormack was roundly praised by the Boston Irish community for being a worthy purveyor of the ancient melodies of Ireland, and local music lovers from Boston's Brahmin community appreciated his talent too. Between 1911 and 1936 McCormack performed at Boston Symphony Hall sixty-seven times, more than any other singer of that era.

The Irish Music Collection at Boston College's John J. Burns Library has a strong collection of materials about John McCormack. And the Archival Collection at Boston Symphony Hall has the programs from McCormack's concerts between 1911 and 1936, plus various newspaper clippings.

For year round information on Boston's Irish community, visit IrishBoston.org. For more about Boston's Irish history, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com

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