(c) 2014 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Lena Little

American, 1856 - 1920

BiographyMartha Lena Little was born September 19, 1856 to Robert and Rebecca Little. Robert Little, along with his partner, Peter Middlemiss, wa among the most successful builders in New Orleans. He and Rebecca called their daughter Lena, a names she used her entire life. As a child, she showed promise in usic, and as she grew, so did the beauty of her voice....One of the great honors of her life was to stand as principal singer at the funeral of the great poet Oliver Wendell Holms Sr., who had died on October 7, 1894 in Boston and whose elaborate memorial was celebrated at King's Chaepl. It was there, in Boston, where chose to live until 19008, while concertizing in New York and throughout New England and occasionally touring the South. In a 1901 interview Little described loving Boston beacause it had higher music standards than other cities in the country....she chose to return to New Orleans. At age fifty-four, she became a singing teaecher... A newspaper article from July 10, 1920 gives a hint of what happened in the home of her sister-in-law... she pulled herself from bed, taking with her a pillow, and entered the bathroom. She stuffed every crack, including the keyhole, then turned on the gas and lay down in the bathtub...Little was found early the next morning." Robert S. Brantley, Sacred Ground: The Cemeteries of New Orleans (2019), pp.54-55. Available on google books. E. Reluga 1/14/2022

Member of Cecilia Society; concert artist
https://books.google.com/books?id=W5xCAQAAMAAJ&lpg=RA11-PA37&ots=MJ3D4elz7z&dq=lena%20little%20cecelia%20society&pg=RA11-PA37#v=onepage&q=lena%20little%20cecelia%20society&f=false I.S. 12/27/2017

Songs Harmonie du Soir Baudelaire Dansons la Gigue La Cloche Felee Baudelaire Serenade Verlaine for soprano vibla and piano Miss Lena Little singer Mrs Emil pianist Mr Loeffler viola November 30 1897 December 13
https://books.google.com/books?id=tkMQAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA941&ots=YyWt_jv4b9&dq=lena%20little%20cecilia%20society&pg=PA941#v=onepage&q=lena%20little%20cecilia%20society&f=false I.S. 12/27/2017

Person TypeIndividual

Last Updated8/7/24

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