Yes, at least one could certainly make an argument for it. Clair Bayfield was with Florence Foster Jenkins for her money? Less likely is that it was due to her syphilis preventing her from being able to consummate a marriage and be intimate in that way. Their "common law" marriage was at her insistence and it is possible that this was because she and her first husband had never legally divorced. He presented her his grandmother's wedding ring, and she gave him what she termed to be "a ring of entwining love," a gold ring with a blue stone that he wore on the ring finger of his left hand. No, but they did have a symbolic wedding ceremony at The Hotel Vanderbilt with four witnesses present. Florence also joined numerous women's clubs, where she took the position of director or chairman of music. She never sung at Verdi Club functions herself, as she thought it would be inappropriate. It should be noted that Florence saw The Verdi Club as a place that could offer young musicians paying jobs. The Verdi Club eventually had over 400 members, cementing Florence's place in high society. Keep in mind that this was a social club, not the name of a nightclub. In fact-checking Florence Foster Jenkins, we learned that she started The Verdi Club in 1917, named for 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi. Yes, and in doing so, she broadened her access to the various musical social circles of New York City. Like in the Meryl Streep movie, Bayfield became her manager and the pair entered into a sort of "common law" marriage. She now had sufficient funds to finally pursue a singing career. This was the same year that Florence's father had died of kidney disease and left her with a large sum of money that she received from a trust in quarterly installments. They further hit it off that evening when they bumped into each other again at a party on Riverside Drive. Florence, 41, and Bayfield, 34, met during an afternoon meeting of the Euterpe Club where she was Director of Music. Clair Bayfield (portrayed by Hugh Grant) on January 14, 1909, not long before permanently moving to New York City with her mother. Clair Bayfield?Īs we researched the Florence Foster Jenkins true story, we learned that she met British Shakespearean actor St. When did Florence Foster Jenkins meet St. Streep recreates every single nuance of the Jenkins singing voice: glottal stops, an absence of vibrato, hit-and-run register breaks, the sliding up and arrival just short of a climactic high note, transforming the letter "r" into a vowel and the completely unintelligible diction." In his review of the movie, he states, "I can also confidently say that Ms. Donald Collup, the creator of the Florence Foster Jenkins documentary A World of Her Own, says that Meryl Streep is spot on in her recreation of Florence Foster Jenkins' voice. Nicholas Martin bookĭoes Meryl Streep get Florence's singing voice right? Unable to continue playing the piano, Florence refused to give up her love for music and decided to fully embrace singing (an interest she had dabbled in under the radar). In the movie, Florence (Meryl Streep) states that the nerves had been damaged in her left hand, implying it was from her struggle with syphilis (it is unclear whether this is the exact "injury" that forced her to stop playing in real life too). At some point, Florence suffered an injury to her arm that forced her to give up the piano. Around 1900, the two began travelling to New York City often, developing a foothold in high society. Already living in near poverty, her mother Mary came to Philadelphia to help her, offering both guidance and financial support. In the 1890s, while living in Philadelphia after splitting with her husband, the real Florence Foster Jenkins worked as a piano teacher and went back to school. Frank Jenkins had passed away by 1916 and Florence assumed the title of "widow." Doing so would have tarnished her reputation. It is unclear whether they legally divorced or separated, but they were still legally married in 1906, so it is likely that she never sought a divorce. The two seem to have had little in common regardless, and it is believed they cut ties completely after the split. Whether the sexually transmitted disease meant that he hadn't been faithful is unknown but rather likely. The marriage was short-lived, however, and ended after Jenkins contracted syphilis from her husband. They were married in 1885 after moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but the decision resulted in Florence's father disinheriting her. Frank Thornton Jenkins (1852-1917), who was sixteen years her senior. Why did Florence Foster Jenkins leave her first husband?Īfter Florence's father refused to financially support her desire to continue to study music, she rebelled and left town with Dr.
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