▁international ▁lawyer , ▁E ames ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Shang hai , ▁China ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Port land ▁and ▁Bath ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁state ▁of ▁Maine . ▁The ▁prom ising ▁quality ▁of ▁her ▁voice ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁early ▁by ▁her ▁mother ▁and ▁she ▁received ▁singing ▁less ons ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁girl . ▁She ▁attended ▁school ▁in ▁Boston ▁where ▁she ▁studied ▁singing ▁under ▁Clara ▁M ung er , ▁and ▁later ▁with ▁Charles ▁R . ▁Adams . ▁ ▁Later ▁she ▁took ▁voice ▁less ons ▁in ▁Paris ▁with ▁the ▁highly ▁successful ▁but ▁aut ocr atic ▁teacher ▁of ▁bel ▁cant o ▁sop ran os , ▁Math ilde ▁March esi . ▁It ▁was ▁noted ▁in ▁the ▁press ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁March esi ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁that ▁E ames ▁had ▁pra ised ▁the ▁tu ition ▁she ▁received ▁from ▁that ▁teacher . ▁Sub sequently , ▁however , ▁she ▁chose ▁to ▁down play ▁March esi ' s ▁influence ▁on ▁her ▁vocal ▁technique . ▁ ▁Sing ing ▁career ▁ ▁E ames ▁made ▁her ▁professional ▁oper atic ▁debut ▁in ▁G oun od ' s ▁Rom éo ▁et ▁Jul iet te ▁at ▁the ▁Paris ▁Op éra ' s ▁headquarters , ▁the ▁Pal ais ▁G arn ier , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁She ▁would ▁perform ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Jul iet te ▁many ▁other ▁times ▁during ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years , ▁while ▁adding ▁other ▁leading ▁French - opera ▁parts ▁to ▁her ▁re per toire . ▁As ▁early ▁as ▁November ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁The ▁Times