Greta Williams was a celebrated English operatic

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

and

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...

, and occasional pianist of the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

. Born in London, she studied piano under Edwin Holland and

Alberto Randegger Alberto Randegger (13 April 1832 – 18 December 1911) was an Italian-born composer, conductor and singing teacher, best known for promoting opera and new works of British music in England during the Victorian era and for his widely used textbook o ...

at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...

, and made numerous appearances, both as an instrumentalist and a singer, at the Hallé Concerts,

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

Queen's Hall The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect Thomas Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. From 1895 until 1941, it ...

and other venues. She is also remembered as a heroine of the 1899 wreck of the SS ''Stella'', in which 77 people perished. During the 14 hours she and other survivors waited in open boats for their rescuers, she quelled the fears of the passengers and crew by singing "O, Rest in the Lord".Wyndham, Henry Saxe & L'Epine, Geoffrey. (1915).
''Who's who in music: a biographical record of contemporary musicians''
(2nd ed.). New York: I. Pitman & Sons.

References

Operatic contraltos Pupils of Alberto Randegger Singers from London 19th-century births Year of birth missing Year of death missing English operatic sopranos English contraltos Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music 19th-century English singers 19th-century British women singers 20th-century English singers 20th-century British women singers 20th-century English women 20th-century English people 19th-century English women {{UK-opera-singer-stub