In the Courts of Memory, 1858-1875; from Contemporary Letters

A lively archive of personal correspondence, this volume gathers the letters written between 1858 and 1875 by a well‑connected American singer who moved effortlessly among Europe’s most illustrious courts. Addressed to a beloved mother and aunt, the missives blend everyday observations with vivid recollections of the Second Empire’s glittering social life, offering a rare, intimate perspective on the era’s politics, fashion and artistic circles.

Through her eyes we meet figures such as Napoleon III, Empress Eugénie, and the era’s leading composers—Wagner, Liszt, Gounod and Rossini—whose personalities emerge in candid, often humorous exchanges. The letters also trace her own journey from a Boston upbringing and rigorous studies in London to a celebrated presence at Parisian salons, and later, her diplomatic life attached to a Danish minister. Listeners will hear a blend of scholarly curiosity, youthful exuberance, and the melancholy of a world on the brink of dramatic change, all conveyed in the warm, conversational tone of a woman eager to share the details that mattered most to her.