Whenever I picture Fran entering a room, it is this presence riding in on the wings of an aria. Perhaps it was from being on stage all those years, she just filled whatever the space was with energy and a love for life.
Her life was a lot like the operas in which she performed — a series of crests and troughs. I suppose in many ways that could describe any of our lives. Fran just lived her life on a larger stage. She had had a successful opera career on two continents, alternating between Milan and New York for the last 25 or so years. Unfortunately, that has all come to an end.
She returned to Saint Louis 3 years ago to be treated for stage 4 ovarian cancer. While she was there she reacquainted herself with many old friends, including Robin with whom she had been a close neighborhood and school friend. Robin likes to tell the story about the time they entered a talent contest together and did not even place. Robin still feels bad to this day as she is sure she is the reason. I am thinking Fran got over it.
The treatment seemed to be a success and Fran went back to Italy for a while. She had a relapse and returned to St. Louis for more treatment. Again the cancer seemed to go into remission. She returned to New York this time, but only to have the cancer return. 
Regrettably the doctors ran out of options for Fran. It was very sad to see such a light in so much distress. She was moved to hospice for last few weeks and was surrounded and cared for by close friends. She did not die alone, and will be well remembered in the opera community she inhabited for so many years.
The music has stopped, but not the memory of her. She touched so many lives. I cannot think of many people more able to live in the moment than Fran. I can think of even fewer that had such a joy in living. She was not perfect, none of us are. She was more than a bit of a diva, but somehow that worked for her and the people around her. She was a giving, caring person. She never failed to ask Robin about all her family and mutual friends. Amazingly next time they would talk she would remember all the details about the people from the last conversation. She was always more than willing to give of her special gift.
She was a special lady. She will be missed.
I have several fond memories of Fran:
She was Jewish, but she loved to go to Catholic masses. Robin and I attended one with her at beautiful Catholic church in St. Louis. I can understand why she enjoyed them. I have always enjoyed Catholic masses even though I do not buy their theology. I’m sure they also appealed to her theatrical side.
Robin and I started our relationship about the time Fran first came back to St. Louis for treatment. Fran felt like she was in on “it” from the beginning and described it as a fairy tale. Perhaps it is.
Another fond memory is the house concert she gave at her friend Janie’s house before she went back to Italy after her first round of treatment. She was so good and so many folks came out. It was a wonderful time.
Another is that here is this opera diva, and she is such a sports nut. Especially when it came to Cardinal or Yankee baseball. I don’t know why, but it seemed counter-intuitive.
During her second trip to St. Louis for treatment we were visiting with another friend. Fran noticed that her hair was falling out…again. She begin to pull at tufts of her hair, laughing all the while, saying, “Now I do not need an excuse to wear my wigs.” And she had several very nice wigs. That was Fran, always putting the positive spin on things.
I, at one point, was trying to put Fran and my daughter together. While Keely has not written a book, as a former newspaper reporter (as is her husband) she has done a lot of writing. Fran had such an interesting life. I thought it would be a wonderful story to write, for my daughter or for any writer. I thought it would be a wonderful for Fran to record the opera of her life. Hopefully, the story of Fran’s life will not go unsung.
The website for Frances Ginsberg, Soprano
Tribute at Motivating Miles Foundation, Inc.
Obituary in ForumOpera (in French)
Obituary in Fresno Beehive
Once the New York Times ran her obituary, it was picked up world wide.
Funny I knew at one level she was famous within operatic circles. Seems she was more so than I guessed. She was just Fran to me, a neat and wonderful lady, without the pretensions you expect.
.
Below is a YouTube video of Fran doing show tunes at a house concert she did.
Or if you are an opera buff below is a YouTube video of a TV interview Fran did and a little piece of her redention in Aida.
I noticed that on December 4th of this year, someone has placed several more of Fran’s performances on YouTube. I found about 30 in all.
Opera may not be your thing, but you can still enjoy the talent.
Beautiful….as she is. Thank you for putting this out into our universe.
My cousin David Rush sent this to me. I return only positive thoughts and energies to you. Thank you for sharing this story.
David, What a beutiful tribute to a beautiful lady. Thank you for sharing
David – as always, beautifully written – you have a knack for capturing a story and bringing it to life. Thank you sharing about Fran, so that those of us who didn’t meet her can know her just a little bit.
Absolutely beautiful! I have never been quite the fan of opers but this just gave me chills. It was amazing. Thanks!
Wow! (After listening to the house concert)
Thanks for your beautiful tribute to our friend Fran. It’s incomprehensible that she’s left us, even though we all witnessed her valiant battle and her waning. It’s good that her suffering is over. And I’m sure that a light like hers doesn’t get extinguished but transforms.
A few thoughts and remembrances:
Fran grew up in a home filled with music. Her mother, Evelyn, sat with her ear by her little radio and listened to opera all day long. Michael, Fran’s brother, played his records and his guitar constantly. Fran’s father sat at the piano, moving and swaying to the jazz beat of his heart.
And then there was Fran…….She listened. She listened to her father, her brother and to the opera of her mother. She listened to her beloved Beatles and to her Barbra Streisand. She sat in her little room and filled it with her music. Her singing started small and then it grew as she understood what she could do. For me, it was a miracle to watch. The butterfly emerged. Her confidence grew. And, forever more, she stayed the butterfly…graceful, beautiful and extraordinary.
Dear everyone,
Funeral service yesterday in Manhattan for Frances was beautiful.
Thanks to the insightful speech by Rabbi Angel and fun stories told by the
family and a few friends about her passionate love to music and NY Yankees, Oh
boy, she came alive to our thoughts once again !
The family and friends said a final good
bye at Jewish Cemetery in Cypress hill,
NY(in Queens).
It was a very cold winter day but was more than a perfect day to send off
Frances for its beauty of snow covered, pure white NYC.
Warmest wishes,
JP
We wanted to share a story of Frances – on that captures her generosity,
resilience and musical gifts – and that remains in our hearts:
Immediately after 9/11, Frances ran to one of the hospitals to volunteer. She
told them she would make snadwiches or do anything they needed. As soon as her
foreign language capacity was discovered, Frances was put at a front desk to
speak with families who knew little or no English. ALlatino family arrived.
frantically looking for the father/husband who was a laborer at the towers.
Transforning her Italian to a passable Spanish, Frances understood their
desparate search. She called all the hospitals, to no avail. Finally, she
located a man with the name
they had given her She walked the family through
the smokey streets of New York City – singing opera arias to them the entire
way. Sadly, when they arrived, they found out it was another man with the same
name. This family’s dear member had perished. Frances took them home to Queens
continuing to sing to them and comfort them. They invited her to his funeral,
and called her” their angel.”
Yes, Evan, I feel the same way, and I imagine many of us do. Frances’s extraordinary spirit and love for all of us has not only created a worldwide community, but continues to nurture us and draw us together. How many human beings leave a legacy like that?—in addition to beautiful recordings of her singing. In a sense, she created her own tribute.
Cori
Dear everyone,
My husband Hagai and I want to wish you a new year filled with good health and joy.
It’s been an emotional end of the year for all of us after Frances’s departure.
She is not here, but she has been with us more than ever listening to her glorious voice on youtube, seeing her big smile in the photos in her Obit in The New York Times, Opera News Magazine and on her website. But most of all she remains with us through the stories shared among her friends via our email chain.
According to Jewish tradition, there is a memorial after 30days after the day of passing for the deceased. Thanks to the idea of Michael Philip Davis, a long time friend of Frances, we would like to have a concert as part of the memorial. The performances will be given by Frances’ friends and colleagues. We will open and close the program with the Frances’ recordings. (Recordings provided by Cheryl, Frances’ web site designer. Thank you, Cheryl.)
If we follow tradition, the memorial concert will take place in the evening, Saturday, Jan. 22nd or within the following week. We hope to set everything by this Tuesday.
We are in need of a venue in NYC where we can hold a 40min. concert (Voice, Piano, Viola, etc..). We are thinking around 15-40 people in the audience and we need a good piano.
Is there anyone with an available space or who knows someone with a space suitable, willing to let us put on our event without cost?
Ex.: a small concert hall with a good piano, a lecture room, etc..
If so, please let me know asap so we can proceed with the plans for this concert.
Many of you have offered contributions and it inspired us to make this concert a fundraiser.
The collected funds will be used to cover part of Frances’ funeral and burial. The remainder will be donated to Motivating Miles Foundation, http://www.motivatingmiles.org, a charity created by Caleb Ginsberg (Frances’ nephew), as well as the American Cancer Society.
Kindly wait to send contributions until we have more details.
I will follow up with more information as soon as the plan for the 30 day memorial is finalized.
Dear Evan,
As Frances last wishes, she asked me to post all that I could on YouTube, which I did. When I visited her, I played her arias for her, with the computer sitting on her pillow so it’d be close to her ears. She mouthed some of the words and used her thumbs to show that she liked what she was hearing, but otherwise, she didn’t communicate much. I’m glad to have done it for her and that people are enjoying listening to her – that is part of my wish to her legacy as well. Eventually, I’ll be adding all of the audio tapes that I have (about 50) of her onto the http://www.francesginsberg.com website that my husband and I created and run for her. Thank you for giving me a title to the house concert, I’ll be glad to add that to the YouTube info. Sincerely, C.
——————
On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 2:55 PM, E. wrote:
We just had time to begin to look at the videos – wanted you to know that the house concert is at the 60th birthday party of Lascelles Black in 2001 – bless you for sending this – we have no idea who taped it or posted it to u-tube.We are sending it to many who gathered that day and witnessed the gift of Frances.
I am finding myself to be especially touched by this internet community of mourners – without this, those of us in the many and varied communities Frances touched would each be grieving separately. Thank you.
E.
Rest in peace lovely woman! Your spirit will soar on the other side and that Peace is yours now forever. I so enjoyed out times together at the University of Kansas and performing with you there was fantastic. So many wonderful fun memories. Thank you for being a part of my life, albeit short, and I bless you forever. goodbye Fran. You will be missed. God blessings on you forever and the heavenly choir will never sound better with you in it.
xoxoxo
PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE!
Premiere Screening ~ Free Event
Regina Resnik Presents
The American Jewish Composers
in Classical Song
The Video Concert
Dear Friends:
There is still some seating available for the free premiere screening of this historic video concert. Guests are welcome. Kindly RSVP to this e-mail or by calling (212 769-4083. For those of you who have already replied, we look forward to seeing you!
Best, Michael
Friday, January 21, 2011
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Lincoln Center
The Bruno Walter Auditorium
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
111 Amsterdam Avenue (bet. 64th & 65th Streets)
Featuring world premieres by:
John Corigliano & William M. Hoffman
Seymour Barab Jack Gottlieb Simon Sargon
Ronald Senator
Directed by Written by
Regina Resnik Michael Philip Davis
Pre-concert talk by Ms. Resnik and Mr. Davis
PLEASE REPLY:
To this e-mail or (212) 769-4083