Fonds consists of textual records divided into seventeen series as follows: Biographical materials, n.d., 1894-1968; Archives, n.d., 1914; Financial, n.d., 1921-1974; Memorabilia, n.d., 1885-1975; Address books, n.d.; Journals, 1919-1942, 1960-1975; Correspondence, n.d., [a. 1850-1860], 1902-1975; Subject files, n.d., 1874-1975; Concert programmes, n.d., 1913-1940; Music scores, n.d., [ca. 1886-1945]; Music theory, n.d., 1894-1964; Sarah Fisher concerts, 1939-1975; Sarah Fisher scholarships, 1946-1974; Programmes, n.d., 1910-1975; Publications, n.d., 1925-1971; Clippings, [ca. 1900-1975]; and Correspondence (archives), 1973-1975. Fonds also contains photographs relating to the family and career of Sarah Fischer, [ca. 1890-1975]. Also included in fonds are posters, watercolours, drawings, and a painting depicting Fischer in life and in various operatic roles, [ca. 1890]-1976. In addition, fonds includes two awards received by Sarah Fischer; sculpted by Alfred Laliberté and V. Venables, 1916-1921. Also included in the fonds are sound recordings of interviews with Fischer about her international career, music and opera, and also classical soprano arias performed by Fischer, 1918-1973.
Fischer, Sarah, 1896-1975 : Sarah Fischer was born in Paris and came to Canada in 1909. She studied solfeggio with Professor Jacques Goulet and voice with Céline Marier. In 1917 she graduated from L'Académie de Musique de Québec and won the McGill Scholarschip, founded by Lord Strathcona, to study at the Royal College of Music, London. During her European career Fischer performed at Covent Garden and Old Vic in London, at the Opera-Comique in Paris and in Rome, Vienna and Berlin. In 1922 she sang he role of Pamina in the Magic Flute in the B.B.C.'s first radio broadcast of an opera. In July 1934, she sang the role of Carmen for the B.B.C. in the world's first performance of opera on television. Fischer returned to Canada in 1940 where she founded the "Sarah Fischer Concerts" series to provide opportunities for young musicians to further their careers. The "Sarah Fischer Scholarships" were inaugurated in 1946.
