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In 1915, when director Cecil B. DeMille lured renowned opera star Geraldine Farrar to Hollywood, he hoped that her aura of high culture would add to the prestige of motion pictures. Already popular in Europe, she was the reigning soprano at the Metropolitan Opera at the time, often paired with celebrated tenor Enrico Caruso. Farrar, who considered herself as much an actress as a singer, ultimately appeared in fourteen silent films. In fact, she has two stars on the Hollywood walk of fame—one for music, the other for acting. This is the Danish poster for The Devil-Stone, in which Farrar played a “fishermaid” who becomes a modern urban wife.
Artist Sven Brasch, however, exploits the emerald of the title to depict her as the glamorous leading lady that audiences expected, replete with long gloves, jeweled diadem, and evening gown.
En 1915, Cecil B. DeMille se llevó para Hollywood a la estrella operística Geraldine Farrar con la esperanza de que su imagen de alta cultura añadiría prestigio a la industria cinematográfica. Ya famosa en Europa, Farrar era la soprano reinante del Metropolitan Opera y pareja artística frecuente del celebrado tenor Enrico Caruso. La diva se consideraba igualmente actriz, y a la postre figuró en catorce películas silentes. De hecho, posee dos estrellas en el paseo de la fama de Hollywood, una por música y otra por actuación. Aquí vemos un cartel de la película The Devil-Stone (La piedra del diablo, 1917), en la que Farrar interpretaba a una joven pescadora que terminaba convertida en moderna esposa urbana. No obstante, el artista Sven Brasch aprovechó que el título aludía a una esmeralda para representar a Farrar como la esperaba el público: una glamurosa estrella con guantes largos, diadema de piedras preciosas y vestido de noche.
