Jenny Lind

Jenny Lind
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Name	Jenny Lind
Caption	Portrait by Eduard Magnus (1862)
Birth name	Johanna Maria Lind
Birth date	06 October 1820
Birth place	Stockholm, Sweden
Death date	02 November 1887
Death place	Malvern, Worcestershire, England
Occupation	Operatic soprano
Spouse	Otto Goldschmidt, 1852, 1887

Jenny Lind, born Johanna Maria Lind, was a celebrated Swedish soprano often called the "Swedish Nightingale." She achieved immense fame across Europe and the United States during the mid-19th century, renowned for her pure vocal quality and extraordinary vocal range. Her career was distinguished by acclaimed performances in opera and concert, and she became an iconic figure whose popularity bordered on a cultural phenomenon. Lind is also remembered for her significant philanthropic work, donating large portions of her earnings to charitable causes, particularly in Sweden and England.

Early life and education

Born in Stockholm, she was the illegitimate daughter of a bookkeeper and a schoolteacher. Her vocal talent was discovered early by the maid of a dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera, leading to her acceptance into the acting school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre at age nine. Lind began vocal studies with Carl Magnus Craelius, the choirmaster at the Cathedral of Stockholm, and made her operatic stage debut at just ten years old. Her formal musical education was profoundly shaped by her studies with the renowned Swedish tenor and composer Manuel García in Paris, following a period of vocal strain that required careful retraining.

Operatic career in Europe

Her professional operatic career in Sweden flourished with leading roles in works like Bellini's Norma and Meyerbeer's Robert le diable. She gained major success in Berlin under the patronage of Meyerbeer, which launched her international career. Lind became a star across the continent, with triumphant performances in cities including Vienna, London, and Dublin. Her London debut at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1847 in the opera Robert le diable caused a sensation, leading to a long association with the conductor Michael Balfe and the impresario Benjamin Lumley. She performed in operas by Mozart, Donizetti, and Rossini, before retiring from opera in 1849 to focus solely on concert performances.

American tour and later career

In 1850, her American tour was orchestrated by the legendary showman P. T. Barnum, whose masterful publicity generated unprecedented public excitement, a phenomenon dubbed "Lindomania." The tour opened at Castle Garden in New York City and included concerts in major cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. Following the conclusion of her contract with Barnum, she continued to tour under her own management for another year. After her marriage, she settled in England, performing occasionally in oratorios and concerts, often conducted by her husband, Otto Goldschmidt. She served as a professor of singing at the Royal College of Music from 1883 until her final years.

Vocal style and artistic legacy

Her voice was described as a coloratura soprano of exceptional agility, clarity, and a uniquely pure timbre, capable of great expressive power. Critics and contemporaries, including the composer Mendelssohn, praised her technical mastery and heartfelt interpretation of music ranging from opera to sacred music. She left a lasting impact on vocal pedagogy and the concert tradition, helping to elevate the status of the solo recital. Several compositions were dedicated to her, including the "Jenny Lind Polka" and works by Adolf Lindblad and Goldschmidt.

Personal life and philanthropy

She was engaged to the composer Julius Benedict early in her career, but the relationship ended. In 1852, she married the German pianist and composer Otto Goldschmidt, with whom she had three children. Throughout her life, she was a devout adherent of the Moravian Church, and her faith deeply influenced her charitable actions. Lind donated generously to build schools and hospitals in Sweden, supported the Foundling Hospital in London, and funded numerous charities. Her estate at Malvern was a center for musical life until her death from cancer in 1887.

Category:Swedish sopranos Category:19th-century opera singers