 Jenny
Lind
The World’s Sweetest Singer
1821-1887
Jenny Lind was born in
Stockholm, Sweden, in 1821, the daughter of a
teacher of languages. She is said to have been
able to repeat a song that she had heard but
once at the age of three. At ten years of age
she sang children parts on the Stockholm stage.
After turning 12 years of age, her upper notes
lost their sweetness, and for four years she did
not do much singing. Her love for music
continued and these years were devoted to the
study of instrumental music and composition.
At the end of this period her voice had
recovered its power and purity and for a year
and a half she was the star of the Stockholm
opera. Next, she gave a series of concerts to
obtain the means to go to Paris for further
study, but the French teacher did not appreciate
her powers and Jenny returned to her native
city.
When she was twenty-three years old, Jenny went
to Dresden and when Queen Victoria visited that
city the following year, she sang at the
festivals held in the queen’s honor. This opened
the way to astonishishing success in other
German cities. In 1847 she went to London and
was enthusiastically received. Here she sang for
the first time in concert.
Because of the influence of P.T. Barnum, Jenny
Lind visited America in 1850. Because of his
great influence and his power as an advertiser
he roused the wildest enthusiasm. Tickets sold
for fabulous prices in New York. But she did not
disappoint the wildest expectation.
She subsequently married Mr. Otto Goldschmidt of
Boston, a musician and conductor. After her
marriage, she appeared on the stage only at
intervals and usually at concerts given for
charitable causes. She was deeply interested in
these charitable causes and we can easily add to
her title of singer that of philanthropist.
Her later years were spent in London where she
died in 1886. Her life and songs are a sweet
memory. |
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