Adelina de Lara

Adelina de Lara was born Lottie Adelina Preston in Carlisle, Cumberland on 23 January 1872 to parents, George Matthew Tilbury (aka Preston) of Southampton and Anna de Lara. Her Grandfather was the Spanish Count Laurent de Lara.

She was given her performing name of Adelina de Lara after a visit to music shop with her father, to secure her first engagement. The music shop proprietor considered the name Adelina Preston far too ‘English’ to perform under and thus suggested her mother’s maiden name as a suitable replacement.

Mademoiselle Adelina de Lara performed in public for the first time in 1891 and continued for over seventy years making her final appearance on 15 June 1954 at Wigmore Hall London. She made many recordings for the BBC and appeared on BBC television on her 82nd birthday.

She was educated in Frankfurt and studied piano with Fanny Davies and Clara Schumann whose work she championed for most of her life and was close friends with Johannes Brahms through her studies.

During World War II she played for Dame Myra Hess at the National Gallery and later in life, Sir Adrian Boult.In 1951 Adelina was awarded the OBE. The late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was both an admirer and a friend and sent good wishes for concerts on many occasions.

She composed many pieces which have included ballads, song cycles and many for piano including two concertos. Also, two suites for strings, including 'In The Forest' which was performed in 2005, in Gloucester Cathedral by the Gloucester Academy of Music.

Adelina de Lara’s autobiography entitled "Finale" was published in 1955 and she died at the age of 89 in Woking, Surrey on 25 November 1961.

Adelina de Lara's musical and artistic legacy has travelled down through subsequent generations and includes:
*Edward Hain, grandson and tenor.
*Great-grandchildren:
** Kit Hain, songwriter/singer and one half of the British pop duo, Marshall Hain.
**Tim Hain, Blues/Reggae guitarist, songwriter and author.
**Jayl (also known as J.C. de Lara), singer, songwriter, poet and author.
**Jimmie Bone (real name William D.C. Lowdell), singer, songwriter and producer.
**Gerry O'Riordan, music recording engineer.
**Mim Hain, artist/painter.