Ina Souez facts for kids

Ina Souez (born June 3, 1903 – died December 7, 1992) was a talented American singer. She was famous for both opera (as a soprano) and jazz music. Most of her singing career happened in the United Kingdom.

Ina was born as Ina Rains in Windsor, Colorado. She had Cherokee heritage from her family. When she started her singing career, she chose to use her grandmother's last name, Souez.

Early Life and Training

Ina Souez first studied music with Florence Hinman in Denver. In 1931, she traveled to Europe to continue her training. She took more lessons with Sofia del Campo in Milan, Italy.

Opera Career in Europe

Ina Souez made her first opera performance in 1928. She sang the role of Mimi in the opera La bohème in Ivrea, Italy. Soon after, she was singing at the famous Teatro Massimo in Palermo.

In May 1929, she performed at the Royal Opera House in London. She sang the part of Liù in the opera Turandot. Even though people loved her performance, she was not asked to come back right away.

For the next ten years, Ina stayed in England. She eventually caught the eye of Hamish Wilson. He suggested her for a singing role at the Glyndebourne Festival.

Glyndebourne Festival Success

Ina Souez first sang at the Glyndebourne Festival on May 29, 1934. This was during the festival's very first year! She sang the role of Fiordiligi in the opera Così fan tutte. At the time, she was married to an Englishman. So, she was introduced as an English singer.

Her performance was a huge success! The Royal Opera House quickly asked her to sing for their next season. This caused a small problem for Glyndebourne. They had assumed she would return and had not signed her for the next year. Luckily, she was able to sing for both places. However, she was still not asked to return to London after that.

In 1936, she also sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for Glyndebourne. She performed in Stockholm and The Hague too.

Return to America and New Career

When World War II started, Ina Souez returned to the United States. During her time in Europe, she made history. She recorded Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. These were the first times these operas were ever recorded for people to buy!

After returning home, Ina joined the Women's Army Corps. She sang a few more times in New York City. But in 1945, she decided to stop singing opera. She started a new career as a jazz singer.

Touring with Spike Jones

Ina Souez spent the next part of her career touring with Spike Jones and his band. She often became part of their funny jokes on stage. She once said that Spike Jones offered her "real money." She stayed with his band for over ten years.

After touring, Ina retired from performing. She began teaching voice lessons. She taught in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Ina Souez spent her last few years in a nursing home in Santa Monica, California. She passed away on December 7, 1992. She is buried at the Los Angeles National Cemetery.