Female faces of famous names

Today is 8 March, established in 1910 as International Women’s Day to promote the fight for equal rights for women in society. Of course, emancipation movements appeared much earlier, and women’s rights were also fought for by female artists, such as the 18^th-century comedian Kitty Clive, associated with the Drury Lane Theatre. Today, we want to recall talented old instrumentalists, singers and composers with famous names, more often associated with the famous fathers and husbands of our heroines.

The 18^th century – Francesca Caccini, the best-paid artist at the Florentine court

The daughter of Giulio Caccini, born in Florence, tied her entire life to her hometown. She became famous as an excellent singer – she performed mainly at the court of Ferdinando I de Medici and then his son Ferdinando II, receiving the highest salary of all musicians. She also collaborated on the musical setting of official ceremonies (including the wedding of Marie de’ Medici with Henry IV).

Francesca Caccini was also a composer; she published the most extensive collection of monodic pieces at the time, Il primo libro delle musiche (Florence 1618), and the opera La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina (Florence 1625), written for the arrival of the Polish prince Władysław Sigismund Vasa. The text of the libretto was translated into Polish by S.S. Jagodyński.

The 18^th century. From Mozart’s muses to… the first female choral conductor in Stuttgart

All three daughters of Fridolin Weber showed musical talent. The eldest, Josepha, was a renowned singer – it was with her in mind that W.A. Mozart composed the virtuoso aria of the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. Josepha sang this part in the premiere of Die Zauberflöte in the so-called Schikaneder Theatre on 30 September 1791.

The second of the Weber sisters, Aloysia, also developed a singing career. She performed with W.A. Mozart and sang the main parts in his operas (including the premiere of Don Giovanni in Vienna); the composer also felt affection for her. As is known, however, he married the youngest Weber, Konstanze – also a singer who later played a significant role as a promoter of the composer’s legacy.

Speaking of Mozart, it is impossible not to mention his sister Anna Maria called Nannerl, a talented pianist, taught and supported by her father; unfortunately, at the age of 18, she stopped performing in public.

However, Emilie Zumsteeg did not shy away from them. She was J.R. Zumsteeg’s daughter, a singer and pianist, and the first choral conductor to lead public concerts in Stuttgart. She was also a composer – her works were praised by the reviewers of the “Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung.”

The 19^th century. Virtuoso pianists and the female face of opera

The 19^th century was the century of virtuoso women. Among Polish women, it is enough to mention Maria Szymanowska, who conquered European stages as an outstanding pianist and acclaimed composer of, among others, 20 etudes and preludes for piano; there is also her less recognisable sister-in-law, Filipina Brzezińska-Szymanowska, the author of the song Nie opuszczaj nas, sung during the January Uprising.

The last decades of the 19^th century belonged to the pianist Natalia Janotha, Juliusz’s daughter. She achieved stunning success on a European scale, crowned by the appointment as a court pianist at the court in Berlin. Her career was compared to the later achievements of I.J. Paderewski, who dedicated his works to her.

Janotha was a student of C. Schumann, the heroine of our previous post. She was associated with Fanny Hensel, a pianist and composer, wife of the painter W. Hensel and sister of F. Mendelssohn, who valued her works enough to publish them together with his own compositions.

Wiek pary i elektryczności to także stulecie opery – na tym polu należy wspomnieć o Cosimie Wagner, córce F. Liszta i żonie R. Wagnera. Zasłynęła ona jako bohaterka skandalu (małżeństwo z Wagnerem zostało poprzedzone głośnym rozstaniem z H. von Bülowem). Warto jednak wiedzieć, że była też uzdolnioną reżyserką operową i zrealizowała wiele spektakli teatru w Bayreuth.

The age of steam and electricity is also the century of opera – in this field, it is worth mentioning Cosima Wagner, daughter of F. Liszt and wife of R. Wagner. She became famous as the heroine of a scandal (her marriage to Wagner was preceded by a loud breakup with H. von Bülow). However, it is worth knowing that she was also a talented opera director and produced many performances for the Bayreuth Theatre.

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It is impossible to describe all the women who developed their talents in the vicinity of men close to them. We leave further research to you. And instead of an extensive summary, we would like to include wishes from women for women. (Did you know that the PBM Team is made up mostly of women?)

Dear Ladies, follow your chosen path with your head held high and fulfil your dreams in your own style.