Lily Pons was a French-American coloratura soprano. Born Alice Joséphine Pons in Draguignan near Cannes, Pons first studied piano at the Paris Conservatory, winning the First Prize at the age of 15. During World War I, she played piano and sang for soldiers in Paris hospitals. She also sang at receptions in Cannes. In 1925, encouraged by soprano Dyna Beumer, she started taking singing lessons from Alberti de Gorostiaga in Paris. Wikipedia
A piano student at the Paris Conservatoire, Lily Pons received her first vocal instruction from Alberti de Gorostiaga. bassocantante.com/opera/pons.html
The definitive Wikipedia entry for Lily Pons. Wikipedia is the biggest multilingual free-content encyclopedia on the Internet. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Pons
A principal Metropolitan Opera coloratura soprano, she appeared also on radio, in several films, and on TV. Pictured on one of a set of four 32¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the Legends of American Music series, issued 10 September 1997, celebrating www.imdb.com/name/nm0690507/
