America has always had a love affair with “bad music”. Florence Foster Jenkins was the first of a long line of singers’ to capture the public’s fancy. The list includes Jonathan and Darlene Edwards (aka Jo Stafford and Paul Weston), Mrs. Miller and “American Idol’s” William Hung.

What separates Mrs. Foster Jenkins from this very entertaining list of “musicians” is her naive sincerity. We must conclude from all of the evidence that she truly believed herself to be a gifted singer. This steadfast belief in herself as artist, this certainty of her musical talent, may be delusional but it is also rather admirable.

In SOUVENIR, Stephen Temperley tells the story of the collaboration of Florence Foster Jenkins and Cosme McMoon. Mr. McMoon like many young artists lured to the promise of New York in the 1930’s found himself struggling to be a working musician and composer at the height of this nation’s great depression.

It is a strange union this: the talented but unsuccessful musician Mr. McMoon and the inexpert Mrs. Foster Jenkins, whose success and popularity are as unbidden as they seem undeserved. That this inequitable and unfair destiny of our two protagonists results not in animosity between these collaborators but rather in kindness, generosity and respect is Mr. Temperley’s great achievement.

SOUVENIR is less a story of music, delusion or popularity but more, much more, a story of friendship and an unique kind of love.

Michael Evan Haney