BVI Soprano dies in NY
This newspaper has just learnt the sad news of the death in New York,
on Monday, of Mrs. Gracita Faulkner. She was the daughter
of Captain Auguste George, after whom the Anegada Airport is named.
Florencia Gracita George was born in Anegada on April 30, 1905. In 1923,
a shy modest girl at age eighteen journeyed to the United
States where she met and married Clement W. Faulkner. Two sons, Calvin
and Clement were born to that union. At age 30 she
reluctantly approached the arts when her brother William A. George having
heard her sing perceived the innate talent and lending a
deaf ear to her protest declared. “God has blessed you with a gift
and you must share it with others.” Her voice possessed a dramatic
quality born out of her command of diction learned from her schooling
on the island of her birth and when added to the vocal
technique gleaned from her voice teacher, an exceptional voice was born.
The soprano’s voice is known throughout the Caribbean
and the United States. One of Gracita Faulkner’s performance was
reviewed by the New York Times as follows: “Miss Faulkner
made a favorable impression by her poised and charming stage presence,
her pleasant soprano voice and her musical taste and
intelligence....”
Later on she earned international fame and appeared in leading roles
in La Traviata and Faust for the American Opera Guild. She
retired in 1960 and came home to her beloved Anegada; she resided at home
on Boone’s Bight where she spent her days looking out
on the bold Atlantic reminiscing with friends and relatives who dropped
by for a chat.
The publishers, management and staff of The Island Sun extend their sincere condolences to the bereaved family.
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