The story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a famous singer who couldn't sing at all

Today, many complain that talentless people have flooded the modern stage. They say that modern technology turns anyone who comes into the producers' field of vision into a star. It was a different matter before - success was deserved and only for those who had a voice and an ear for music. But all this is a misconception, because the story of the American Florence Foster Jenkins, who lived a century ago, says the opposite. This woman did not have the technique of singing, but nevertheless sold out and outshone many professional performers.

The prima donna's real name was Narcissa Florence Foster. She was born in 1868 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Her parents, Charles Dorrance Foster and Mary Jane Hoagland, were wealthy and educated people, great music lovers. Therefore, their daughter's love for art was instilled from an early age. At the age of eight, she was already playing the piano, and at seventeen, she decided to devote her life to singing. Narcissa told her parents that she wanted to study vocals in Europe.

But by this time, teachers had repeatedly refused to teach young Narcissa. Due to her complete lack of talent and musical ability, she was advised to choose another occupation. Her father, a wealthy industrialist, did not want to spend money on a sure-fire failure. So the girl ran away to Philadelphia with a doctor, Frank Thornton Jenkins. There, the couple got married, and Narcissa began calling herself Florence Foster Jenkins.

In Philadelphia, Florence earned money by giving private piano lessons, and her husband opened a medical practice. The marriage lasted seventeen years, but broke up in 1902. And in 1909, Florence's father died, leaving her an impressive inheritance. From that moment on, Jenkins no longer had to worry about her daily bread and decided to devote herself entirely to her singing career.

Florence compensated for her lack of abilities with self-confidence and incredible hard work. She considered herself a brilliant singer and rehearsed a lot, although those around her were horrified by her performances. Today, her case would be called an example of the "Dunning-Kruger effect". It consists in the fact that people with a low level of qualification often draw erroneous conclusions, make bad decisions and do not see their mistakes precisely because of a lack of knowledge and experience.

Florence Jenkins burst into the Philadelphia and New York musical communities and became very active there. She founded the Verdi Club, a society for classical music lovers. In 1912, she organized her first concert, paying for it out of her own pocket. She then financed her own tour and went on tour, performing in Newport, Washington, Boston, and Saratoga Springs.

At first, the public received Florence quite m, and sometimes even booed. But gradually people got used to her unusual "vocal", and the singer's popularity began to grow. Especially many of her fans lived in New York. In the Big Apple, the singer managed to organize exclusive concerts every year in the hall of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Friends, colleagues and the most devoted fans of her work gathered for these performances. The hall with 800 seats was always filled to capacity.

In his 1957 memoirs, music critic Daniel Dixon described Florence Jenkins' singing as follows:

Accompanist Cosme Macmun, who performed with the singer for many years, admitted that he could not get used to her voice for a long time and made great efforts not to burst out laughing in the middle of the concert. The "star" looked very funny:

He openly admitted that not everyone in the audience had the same self-control as he did. Even at concerts at the Ritz-Carlton, where her devoted fans gathered, laughter often rang out in the audience. But Florence never paid attention to it. She was sure that her less talented colleagues were laughing out of envy at her success. Recordings of Florence Foster Jenkins' performances have survived to this day, so everyone can appreciate her singing.

Most of all, the singer loved to perform arias from the works of Mozart, Verdi, Strauss and Brahms. Some songs were composed for her by her accompanist McMoon, and some she created herself - real "masterpieces" to her taste. Florence adored luxurious concert outfits, which she came up with herself. Her most famous image was the "Angel of Inspiration": a dress embroidered with sequins, and cardboard wings on her back.

She was offered to record her first record only in 1937. Florence agreed and came to the Meloton Recording studio. There she immediately set her conditions: to turn off all the equipment and let her sing without rehearsal. She simply walked in, performed the song on the first take and left. Later she said that the recording was great and was very pleased with the result.

In her old age, the singer became even more eccentric. In 1943, the taxi she was riding in after a performance crashed. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries. The next day, instead of suing the driver, Jenkins sent him a box of expensive cigars and a letter of thanks. She said that the stress had done her good and that she was now able to sing even higher notes.

For many years, fans had been urging Florence to perform at New York's most prestigious venue, Carnegie Hall. Why she refused for so long remained a mystery. Only in 1944, when she was already 76 years old, did she finally decide to give a concert there. Tickets sold out weeks before the performance, although their price - $20 - was quite high for that time.

And just a month after her triumph at Carnegie Hall, Florence Forest Jenkins died. It happened on November 26, 1944. Evil tongues claimed that the singer did not survive the barrage of ridicule in the press. But it seems that this is not true. The singer's long creative life helped her develop immunity from any criticism. Most likely, the most famous singer who could not sing left this world an absolutely happy person.

The singer's life story has been the basis for several plays and musicals. In 2015, the French film "Marguerite" was released, telling the story of a talentless singer named Marguerite Dumont. And in 2016, the US released a fully biographical film "Prima Donna", in which the main role was played by Meryl Streep.

Florence Foster Jenkins' story is a remarkable example of how self-confidence and persistence can lead to success despite a lack of talent. Today, in the age of social media and advanced technology, the question of what is more important — real abilities or the ability to present yourself — remains relevant. Do you think Jenkins could have become a star today, or would modern listeners be more ruthless? Share your thoughts in the comments!