Ruby Mercer

{{short description|Canadian opera singer and writer (1906–1999)}}

Ruby Mercer CM (26 July 1906 – 26 January 1999) was an American-born Canadian writer, broadcaster, soprano and entrepreneur.

Mercer was born in Athens, Ohio, and grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 1936, she made her debut as a member of the Metropolitan Opera, portraying Nedda in Pagliacci.{{cite news |title=Array of Vocalists Sings for Serenade |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94946983/saturday-night-serenade/ |location=Shreveport, Louisiana|access-date=February 14, 2022|newspaper=The Times|date=February 15, 1941 |page=2|via = Newspapers.com}}

She founded Opera Canada, a periodical for which she served as editor from 1960 to 1990. She also founded the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus, and served as its first president. She was host of CBC Radio's weekly show Opera Time from 1962 to 1979, as well as its successor Opera in Stereo from 1979 to 1984.

She became a member of the Order of Canada in 1995.

Awards and honours

BA (Ohio) 1927, BMus (Cincinnati) 1930, honorary DMus (Ohio) 1978, honorary LL.D (U of T){{clarify|date=January 2024}} 1995.
Walter W. Naumburg Foundation award (1934)
Canadian Music Council medal (1983)
Toronto Arts lifetime achievement award (1988)
Order of Canada (1995)

Writing

The Tenor of His Time (Toronto, 1976), a biography of tenor Edward Johnson
The Quilicos – Louis, Gino and Lina (Oakville, Ontario, 1990)
Articles to Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, Musical America, and Opera News
Columns and reviews for Opera Canada

Citations

{{Reflist

| refs =

{{cite web

|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/4/7/m15-427-e.html

|title=Mercer, Ruby, 1906–1999 MUS 278

|publisher=Library and Archives Canada, Government of Canada (Collections Canada)

|date=

|access-date=12 February 2011

|archive-date=13 July 2010

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713081658/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/4/7/m15-427-e.html

|url-status=dead

}}

{{cite web

| url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=3382&t=12

| title=It's an Honour: Ruby Mercer, C.M., Mus.D.

| author= The Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn

| date=

| publisher=Governor General of Canada

| access-date=12 February 2011

| author-link= Ray Hnatyshyn

}}

External links

[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ruby-mercer-emc "Ruby Mercer"] by Betty Nygaard King, The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed October 29, 2023
[http://www.bruceduffie.com/mercer.html Interview with Ruby Mercer], November 14, 1991

Category:1906 births

Category:1999 deaths

Category:American emigrants to Canada

Category:Canadian women journalists

Category:Canadian radio personalities

Category:Classical music radio presenters

Category:Journalists from Toronto

Category:People from Athens, Ohio

Category:Writers from Toronto

Category:Singers from Toronto

Category:Canadian music journalists

Category:Canadian magazine publishers (people)