Clara Kathleen Barnett Rogers (1844-1931) was born in Cheltenham, England, where she received musical instruction from her parents before entering the Leipzig Conservatory at the age of twelve to study piano, violin, cello, harmony, singing, and (later) composition. Her professional début as an opera singer (under the name Clara Doria) was in 1863 in Turin, Italy.  She concertized in Italy and the UK for five years before travelling to the US in 1871 as a member of the Parepa Rosa Opera Company, after which she performed in other opera troupes for the next seven years.  Rogers married in 1878 and settled down in Boston, where she taught and composed, eventually producing over 100 songs and song cycles as well as works for string quartet, piano, and violin. She was quite active in the flourishing late-century Boston musical environment, held regular musical salons, and eventually joined the faculty of the New England Conservatory (1902).