CHAPTER I. OF THE AGE OF INNOCENCE. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox .org. characters newland archer read by winston tharp may welland read by capricia page ellen olenska read by lydia ellen olenska read by amanda friday laurence lefferts read by algae pug laurence lefferts read by earnst padinama christine nelson read by elizabeth clatt christine nelson read by jen broda mr sillerton jackson performed by bill mosley young man thorley waiter mr mary read by john trevithick mrs manson mingit read by elizabeth clatt mrs welland read by beth thomas mrs welland read by tj burns mrs archer read by ariel lipshaw julius borefoot read by jessam mills janie archer read by libby gaughan henry vanderleiden read by ron altman louisa vanderleiden read by marion carwin nastasia read by diana mullinger duke of saint austri read by alan mapstone mrs struthers read by stephanie hindriks the butler read by peter oxenhandler mr letterblair read by tovarish ned windsat read by todd mr welland read by alan mapstone margina smidora manson read by libby gaughan dr carver read by alan mapstone dr carver read by bob neufeld reggie chivers read by mb the rector governor of new york read by tovarish mr revierach read by todd neomi park reading miss blanker young lady miss sophie jackson read by elizabeth clatt regina bowfort read by charlotte duckett mrs level mingit read by austri hut dallas read by chuck williamson gertrude lefferts and maid read by charlotte duckett narrated by capricia page narrator read by katherine e narrated by ambia sweet 13 narration read by perry the age of innocence by edith worton book one chapter one on a january evening of the early 70s christine nelson was singing in faust at the academy of music in new york though there was already talk of the erection in remote metropolitan distances above the 40s of a new opera house which should compete in costliness and splendor with those of the great european capitals the world of fashion was still content to reassemble every winter in shabby red and gold boxes of the sociable old academy conservatives cherished it for being small and inconvenient and thus keeping out the new people whom new york was beginning to dread and yet be drawn to and the sentimental clung to it for its historic associations and the musical for its excellent acoustics always so problematic equality and halls built the hearing of music it was madame nelson's first appearance that winter and what the daily press had already learned to describe as an exceptionally brilliant audience had gathered to hear her transported through the slippery snowy streets in private rooms in the spacious family landau or in the humbler but more convenient brown coupe to come to the opera in a brown coupe was almost as honorable a way of arriving as in one's own carriage and departure