William Congreve announced in 1670 that "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast," but the playwright coined the now-famous (though often misquoted) phrase approximately 275 years before Florence Foster Jenkins started giving annual recitals that began at the Ritz-Carlton ballroom and culminated on October 22, 1944 with a Carnegie Hall appearance at age 76. Had the playwright heard Mrs. Jenkins, he'd certainly have had second thoughts about his dictum.

Jenkins, who died happy one month and a day after her Carnegie recital, was a society lady with a philanthropic heart. (Proceeeds of the recital went to the Red Cross and other charities.) She was also tone deaf, although she maintain[...]