Prominent socialite, composer, and member of the Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors for forty-two years.
He was the youngest son of six children born to Edward Laight Cottenet (1825–1884) and Marie Huger (née Lowndes) Cottenet (1835–1915).
In 1893, with his inherited wealth dwindling, he opened a florist shop called "The Rosary" in New York City, which became very successful. The flowers were grown in the nursery of his estate in Old Westbury, which he bought from the estate of Belmont Purdy. The Rosary provided floral arrangements for many prominent weddings, including the wedding of Consuelo Vanderbilt to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895, and Gertrude Vanderbilt's wedding to Harry Payne Whitney, in 1896. In fact, Cottenet was not only the florist at the Whitney wedding, but an usher to Harry, one of his closest friends. He provided the flowers for Anne Harriman Sands Rutherfurd's third marriage to William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1903, and was hired to "create evening musicales for the reopening celebration of the Vanderbilt mansion on Fifty-Second Street and Fifth Avenue." Cottenet sold The Rosary in 1906.
In 1902, Cottenet heard Enrico Caruso singing at La Scala, and in November 1903, Caruso debuted as the Duke in Rigoletto at what was then known as the Conried-Metropolitan Opera Company, the precursor to the Metropolitan Opera. Cottenet was also an amateur composer.
From 1908 until his retirement in May 1950, he was a member of Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors. He played a leading role in the development of singers and was credited with bringing Caruso, Arturo Toscanini, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Diaghileff in coming to the United States to work. He served alongside Marshall Field (grandson of Marshall Field) and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney.
Among his friends were Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz
He was the youngest son of six children born to Edward Laight Cottenet (1825–1884) and Marie Huger (née Lowndes) Cottenet (1835–1915).
In 1893, with his inherited wealth dwindling, he opened a florist shop called "The Rosary" in New York City, which became very successful. The flowers were grown in the nursery of his estate in Old Westbury, which he bought from the estate of Belmont Purdy. The Rosary provided floral arrangements for many prominent weddings, including the wedding of Consuelo Vanderbilt to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895, and Gertrude Vanderbilt's wedding to Harry Payne Whitney, in 1896. In fact, Cottenet was not only the florist at the Whitney wedding, but an usher to Harry, one of his closest friends. He provided the flowers for Anne Harriman Sands Rutherfurd's third marriage to William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1903, and was hired to "create evening musicales for the reopening celebration of the Vanderbilt mansion on Fifty-Second Street and Fifth Avenue." Cottenet sold The Rosary in 1906.
In 1902, Cottenet heard Enrico Caruso singing at La Scala, and in November 1903, Caruso debuted as the Duke in Rigoletto at what was then known as the Conried-Metropolitan Opera Company, the precursor to the Metropolitan Opera. Cottenet was also an amateur composer.
From 1908 until his retirement in May 1950, he was a member of Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors. He played a leading role in the development of singers and was credited with bringing Caruso, Arturo Toscanini, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Diaghileff in coming to the United States to work. He served alongside Marshall Field (grandson of Marshall Field) and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney.
Among his friends were Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz
Prominent socialite, composer, and member of the Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors for forty-two years.
He was the youngest son of six children born to Edward Laight Cottenet (1825–1884) and Marie Huger (née Lowndes) Cottenet (1835–1915).
In 1893, with his inherited wealth dwindling, he opened a florist shop called "The Rosary" in New York City, which became very successful. The flowers were grown in the nursery of his estate in Old Westbury, which he bought from the estate of Belmont Purdy. The Rosary provided floral arrangements for many prominent weddings, including the wedding of Consuelo Vanderbilt to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895, and Gertrude Vanderbilt's wedding to Harry Payne Whitney, in 1896. In fact, Cottenet was not only the florist at the Whitney wedding, but an usher to Harry, one of his closest friends. He provided the flowers for Anne Harriman Sands Rutherfurd's third marriage to William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1903, and was hired to "create evening musicales for the reopening celebration of the Vanderbilt mansion on Fifty-Second Street and Fifth Avenue." Cottenet sold The Rosary in 1906.
In 1902, Cottenet heard Enrico Caruso singing at La Scala, and in November 1903, Caruso debuted as the Duke in Rigoletto at what was then known as the Conried-Metropolitan Opera Company, the precursor to the Metropolitan Opera. Cottenet was also an amateur composer.
From 1908 until his retirement in May 1950, he was a member of Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors. He played a leading role in the development of singers and was credited with bringing Caruso, Arturo Toscanini, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Diaghileff in coming to the United States to work. He served alongside Marshall Field (grandson of Marshall Field) and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney.
Among his friends were Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz
He was the youngest son of six children born to Edward Laight Cottenet (1825–1884) and Marie Huger (née Lowndes) Cottenet (1835–1915).
In 1893, with his inherited wealth dwindling, he opened a florist shop called "The Rosary" in New York City, which became very successful. The flowers were grown in the nursery of his estate in Old Westbury, which he bought from the estate of Belmont Purdy. The Rosary provided floral arrangements for many prominent weddings, including the wedding of Consuelo Vanderbilt to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, in 1895, and Gertrude Vanderbilt's wedding to Harry Payne Whitney, in 1896. In fact, Cottenet was not only the florist at the Whitney wedding, but an usher to Harry, one of his closest friends. He provided the flowers for Anne Harriman Sands Rutherfurd's third marriage to William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1903, and was hired to "create evening musicales for the reopening celebration of the Vanderbilt mansion on Fifty-Second Street and Fifth Avenue." Cottenet sold The Rosary in 1906.
In 1902, Cottenet heard Enrico Caruso singing at La Scala, and in November 1903, Caruso debuted as the Duke in Rigoletto at what was then known as the Conried-Metropolitan Opera Company, the precursor to the Metropolitan Opera. Cottenet was also an amateur composer.
From 1908 until his retirement in May 1950, he was a member of Metropolitan Opera Association's board of directors. He played a leading role in the development of singers and was credited with bringing Caruso, Arturo Toscanini, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Diaghileff in coming to the United States to work. He served alongside Marshall Field (grandson of Marshall Field) and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney.
Among his friends were Fritz Kreisler, Josef Hofman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz
