Ganna Walska
Encyclopedia
Ganna Walska born Hanna Puacz (1887 in Brest-Litovsk – 2 March 1984, in Montecito
) was a Polish opera singer and garden enthusiast who created the Lotusland
botanical gardens. She was married six times to a series of wealthy husbands.
claimed that McCormick's lavish promotion of Walska's opera career—despite her apparent renown as a terrible singer—was a direct influence on the screenplay for Citizen Kane
, wherein the titular character does much the same for his second wife, Susan Alexander.
Roger Ebert
, in his DVD commentary on Citizen Kane, suggests that the talentless character of Alexander was based on Walska. McCormick spent thousands of dollars on voice lessons for her and even arranged for Walska to take the lead in a production of Zaza
by Ruggero Leoncavallo
at the Chicago Opera in 1920. Reportedly, Walska got into an argument with director Pietro Cimini during dress rehearsal and stormed out of the production before she appeared. Contemporaries said Walska had a terrible voice, pleasing only to McCormick.
near Santa Barbara, California
, intending to use it as a retreat for Tibet
an monks. Because of restrictions on wartime visas, the monks were unable to come to the United States. After her divorce from Bernard in 1946, Walska changed the name of her estate to "Lotusland
" (after a famous flower held sacred in Indian and Tibetan religions, the lotus
, Nelumbo nucifera
) and the lotus growing in several of her garden's ponds. She devoted the rest of her life to designing, redesigning, expanding, and maintaining the estate's renowned innovative and extensive gardens. Her landscape design talent is well regarded for distinctive gardens of exceptional creativity.
Ganna Walska died March 2, 1984 at Lotusland
, leaving her garden and her fortune to the Ganna Walska Lotusland Foundation.
at a charity auction in 1926.
Received Gold Cross of Merit from the Polish government in 1931.
Received Légion d'honneur
order from the French government in 1934.
Received L'Ordre National des Arts et des Letters from the French government in 1972.
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
) was a Polish opera singer and garden enthusiast who created the Lotusland
Lotusland
The place-name Ganna Walska Lotusland, also known as the Lotusland, is the historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska and current location of a non-profit botanical garden in uniquely designed landscape gardens located in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California, United States...
botanical gardens. She was married six times to a series of wealthy husbands.
Personal life
Her husbands included:- Russian baron Arcadie d'Eingorn, a Russian officer, divorced him for drunkenness 1915
- Dr Joseph Fraenkel, a famed New York endocrinologist, died 1920,
- Multimillionaire sportsman and carpet tycoon Alexander Smith CochranAlexander Smith CochranAlexander Smith Cochran was a wealthy manufacturer, sportsman and philathropist from Yonkers, New York.-Biography:He was the son of Willam F. Cochran and grandson of Alexander Smith, founder of the Alexander Smith Carpet Company....
, married 1920, divorced 1922 - Industrialist Harold Fowler McCormickHarold Fowler McCormickHarold Fowler McCormick, Sr. was chairman of the board of International Harvester Company.-Biography:He was born on May 2, 1872, the sixth child of Cyrus McCormick, inventor and manufacturer of the mechanical reaper; and Nancy Fowler McCormick.He graduated from Princeton University in 1895...
, married in 1922, divorced 1931 - EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
inventor of a death rayDeath rayThe death ray or death beam was a theoretical particle beam or electromagnetic weapon of the 1920s through the 1930s that was claimed to have been invented independently by Nikola Tesla, Edwin R. Scott, Harry Grindell Matthews, and Graichen, as well as others...
, Harry Grindell MatthewsHarry Grindell MatthewsHarry Grindell Matthews was an English inventor who claimed to have invented a death ray in the 1920s.-Earlier life and inventions:...
, died 1941 - Theos Bernard, her sixth and last husband, a scholar of yogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
and Tibetan BuddhismTibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
(and book-author), married 1942, divorced 1946
Career
Walska pursued a career as an opera singer. Her memoirs were called Always Room at the Top. Orson WellesOrson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
claimed that McCormick's lavish promotion of Walska's opera career—despite her apparent renown as a terrible singer—was a direct influence on the screenplay for Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
, wherein the titular character does much the same for his second wife, Susan Alexander.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, in his DVD commentary on Citizen Kane, suggests that the talentless character of Alexander was based on Walska. McCormick spent thousands of dollars on voice lessons for her and even arranged for Walska to take the lead in a production of Zaza
Zaza
Zaza may refer to:* The Zaza people, an ethnic group in eastern Anatolia * The Zazaki language, spoken by the Zaza, also called Dimili, Dımılki, Dimli, Kirmancki-People:* Karim Zaza, a Moroccan goalkeeper* Neil Zaza, a guitar player...
by Ruggero Leoncavallo
Ruggero Leoncavallo
Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer. His two-act work Pagliacci remains one of the most popular works in the repertory, appearing as number 20 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide.-Biography:...
at the Chicago Opera in 1920. Reportedly, Walska got into an argument with director Pietro Cimini during dress rehearsal and stormed out of the production before she appeared. Contemporaries said Walska had a terrible voice, pleasing only to McCormick.
Lotusland
In 1941, with the encouragement of Bernard, she purchased the historic 37 acre (0.14973382 km²) 'Cuesta Linda' estate in MontecitoMontecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
near Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, intending to use it as a retreat for Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an monks. Because of restrictions on wartime visas, the monks were unable to come to the United States. After her divorce from Bernard in 1946, Walska changed the name of her estate to "Lotusland
Lotusland
The place-name Ganna Walska Lotusland, also known as the Lotusland, is the historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska and current location of a non-profit botanical garden in uniquely designed landscape gardens located in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California, United States...
" (after a famous flower held sacred in Indian and Tibetan religions, the lotus
Nelumbo
Nelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy flowers resembling water lilies, commonly known as lotus. The generic name is derived from the Sinhalese word Nelum. There are only two known living species in the genus. The sacred lotus is native to Asia, and is the better known of the two...
, Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is a plant in the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae...
) and the lotus growing in several of her garden's ponds. She devoted the rest of her life to designing, redesigning, expanding, and maintaining the estate's renowned innovative and extensive gardens. Her landscape design talent is well regarded for distinctive gardens of exceptional creativity.
Ganna Walska died March 2, 1984 at Lotusland
Lotusland
The place-name Ganna Walska Lotusland, also known as the Lotusland, is the historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska and current location of a non-profit botanical garden in uniquely designed landscape gardens located in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California, United States...
, leaving her garden and her fortune to the Ganna Walska Lotusland Foundation.
Other honors
Purchase of the Duchess of Marlborough Faberge eggDuchess of Marlborough (Fabergé egg)
The Duchess of Marlborough egg is a jewelled enameled Easter egg made by Michael Perchin under the supervision of the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé in 1902....
at a charity auction in 1926.
Received Gold Cross of Merit from the Polish government in 1931.
Received Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
order from the French government in 1934.
Received L'Ordre National des Arts et des Letters from the French government in 1972.
External links
- Lotusland history
- Chicago's Citizen Kane
- About Citizen Kane
- About Enemy of the Average
- A diva who loved high drama - Los Angeles Times
- Ganna Walska at the IMDB
- The Duchess of Marlborough Egg - Treasures of Imperial Russia
- "Not your average backyard gardener" by Edwin Kiester (Smithsonian magazine, 1997)