was the drama critic for the Chicago Tribune Cecil Smith, who commented: "A musical event without parallel in grand opera in America took place at the Civic Opera House last night when two colored singers, La Julia Rhea and William Franklin, sang the Ethiopian roles of Aida and Amonasro in a special performance of Aida ... Both singers won a goodly success and were warmly applauded." The costume Rhea wore for that performance was a gift from her teacher and mentor, the internationally renowned opera star Rosa Raisa, who had herself worn it at her debut performance of Aida in 1914. Both Rhea and Franklin appeared in productions of the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC), as well as in operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan. The production of Aida in which Rhea made the inaugural performance of the National Negro Opera Company in 1941 was organized by the NNOC Guild as part of Pittsburgh's National Association of Negro Musicians annual meeting. Mary Cardwell Dawson organized the event. In 1942 she appeared with Chicago Mayor Edward J. Kelly, Olivia de Havilland, Marian Anderson, Oscar G. Mayer, Sr. and other presenters at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago to sell bonds during World War II under the auspices of the Chicago Musical War Rally. Later life After she no longer gave public performances, Rhea continued her involvement in the world of opera by giving private lessons to young opera hopefuls at her home in Blue Island, where she was known for her annual lawn parties that were attended by musicians from across the country. She also appeared from time to time over the public airwaves. References Further reading The Music of Black Americans: A History. Eileen Southern. W. W. Norton & Company; 3rd edition. African American Concert Singers Before 1950. Darryl Glenn Nettles. McFarland; 2003 Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, Volume 2. Jack Salzman, David L. Smith, Cornel West. Macmillan Library Reference, 1996 American operatic sopranos 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women opera singers African-American women opera singers 1898 births 1992 deaths Singers from Chicago People from Blue Island, Illinois Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky Singers from Kentucky Kentucky women musicians Classical musicians from Illinois