Taking Tea with Clara Butt

First Night Design

Taking Tea with Clara Butt was created in response to a challenge from the RedBubble group, Music of the Spirit, the only rules being that it should be in black & white and involve the stage in some form.

The sheet music, tea tray and piano are from The Graphics Fairy. Other sheet music from comes from DigitalCollageImages on Flickr. The flourish to the left is from VintageArtDownload  and the vintage postcard of Clara Butt is in my own collection.

Known as ‘The Voice of the Empire’ or ‘The Voice of the Century’, Dame Clara Butt (1872-1936) was born in Sussex and brought up in Bristol. She became one of the most famous and beloved of English recitalists and concert singers. A ‘booming’ contralto, she was remarkably imposing at 6’ 2″.

Dame Clara was not loved by all. Some who considered themselves as superior, serious musicians tended to dismiss…

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