Olivia Dahl The Norwegian Mezzo-Soprano

Olivia Dahl (1873-1930) was one of the numerous opera stars who played in the Ladysmith Opera House in the early 1900s. According to the Ladysmith newspaper, she was ‘one of the greatest singers who has ever visited Vancouver Island.’ Her appearance in Ladysmith on June 21^st, 1906, followed performances in Duncan and Victoria: the latter was, at the time, trying to attract her back for another event after leaving Ladysmith. From here, she was heading off to an extensive tour in the eastern U.S., including performances in St. Paul, New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Boston with the symphony orchestra, and on to other cities. She was accompanied on her tour by Miss Gina Smith, a pianist who had been trained in Berlin, Germany. Miss Dahl’s prowess as a singer came recommended by none other than the famous Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.