Amanda Aldridge - Singer Composer
Amanda Aldridge was born in 1866 in London. She was a British opera singer, voice teacher, and composer. Her father was the celebrated Shakesperean actor Ira Aldridge, and her mother was opera singer Amanda Brandt. She began singing at an early age and when she was just 15 years old performed her first concert at Crystal Palace.
In 1883 Amanda was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Royal College of Music in London, where she studied voice before going on to become a popular concert singer. Between the late 1880s to the early 1900s, she made a number of concert appearances, mostly with her sister Luranah who was also an opera singer..
However all the fame and success fell away when she was struck by severe laryngitis. The condition permanently damaged her throat and ruined her singing career, however the set-back didn’t stop Amanda from continuing her passion for music.
After her singing career came to an end Amanda turned her hand to teaching and composing music. She published her music under the name Montague Ring, as it was easier to publish works with a male sounding name in what was then a male-dominated music industry. She went on to publish about 30 songs and instrumental music.
She continued her career as a vocal coach, tutoring popular singers and actors of that time. Some of her high-profile vocal clients were Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, and Lawrence Benjamin Brown. She kept active well into her eighties.
Amanda Aldridge passed away a just one day before her 90th birthday.