Lisa Roma

Lisa Roma (1892–1965) was an American soprano who toured in the United States with composer Maurice Ravel in 1928. She was chair of grand opera in the College of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles beginning in 1930. Later, she was owner of Musical Courier magazine.

Early life Roma was born on February 29, 1892, in Philadelphia to "well-to-do, musical — but not professional — parents." In 1917 her mother and father died, three months apart, leaving Lisa and six siblings. She became an accountant and found time to study music, tennis, fencing and dancing, all of which she taught to others. Eventually she became a soloist for the Philadelphia Choral Society, then was a student of David Bispham, the first American operatic baritone to win an international reputation. Roma also studied with Trabadello in Paris and Max von Schillings in Berlin.

Debut Roma debuted with Victor Herbert. In 1920, during a concert with Herbert at Willow Grove Park near Philadelphia, Roma was called out of the chorale to substitute as the lead in Naughty Marietta: The featured singer from the Metropolitan Opera had developed laryngitis. Besides her husband, she was survived by siblings Herman, Guy, Ethel and Tillie.