OperaDB

Mary Shaw

also Mary Postans

1814Rosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489.–1876Rosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489. · English · contraltoRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489.

Birthplace: Lea, Kent, EnglandRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.

Mary Shaw was an English contraltoRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489. who created Cuniza in Verdi's first opera, Oberto, at La Scala in 1839Rosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.. Born Mary PostansRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489., she studied at the Royal Academy of MusicRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736. and with Sir George SmartRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026)., and sang in concerts for five yearsRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489., including under Mendelssohn in LeipzigKutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).. Her stage debut was at Novara in 1839Rosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489.. From 1842 she sang at Covent Garden and Drury LaneRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Kutsch, K.J. and Riemens, L. (1987) 'Shaw, Mary', in Großes Sängerlexikon. Bern and Stuttgart: Francke, vol. 2, col. 2736.Rescigno, E. (2001) 'Shaw, Mary', in Dizionario verdiano. Milan: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, p. 489., where in 1844 she was in the first performance of Benedict's The Brides of VeniceRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026).. Later that year her husband went insane, and the shock so affected her voice that she left the stageRosenthal, H. (1992) 'Shaw [née Postans], Mary', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 4, p. 350.Wikipedia (2026) Mary Shaw (contralto). (Accessed: 30 September 2026)..

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