Catharine Frydendahl
Encyclopedia
Catharine Elisabeth Frydendahl (née Möller) (November 30, 1760 – November 30, 1831), was a Danish
opera singer, and the prima donna
of Danish opera in the 18th century.
maker Hans Jacob Möller, she became a student in the singing school at the Royal Danish Theatre
in Copenhagen
in 1776. She debuted in 1777, and quickly became regarded as one of the greatest talents within Danish opera; it is considered that she and Michael Rosing were prime influences in making it possible to use native actors to play opera seria
in Denmark in the 18th century. She was also one of the first Danish singers to give concerts.
Her voice was nevertheless thought to be a great undeveloped talent by experts, a judgement given as late as 1793, on a study trip to Dresden
. She was also active as an actor, though she was not considered as good in this field. As a person, she was described as a "difficult diva
", who argued with the management and plotted against her colleagues. She had a relationship with General von Eickstedt, who was one of the Theatre's directors, and it was thought that, in 1780, she caused her greatest rival, Caroline Frederikke Müller
, to leave Denmark. Indeed, in 1800, she and her husband were placed in jail after a conflict with the Theatre. She retired from the Royal Danish theatre in 1821, and gave her last ever concert in 1823.
Catarine was from 1789 married to the court-violinist Jörgen Berthelsen and 1797 with the actor Jörgen Peder Frydendahl.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
opera singer, and the prima donna
Prima donna
Originally used in opera or Commedia dell'arte companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady." The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano...
of Danish opera in the 18th century.
Life and career
The child of the gloveGlove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
maker Hans Jacob Möller, she became a student in the singing school at the Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1776. She debuted in 1777, and quickly became regarded as one of the greatest talents within Danish opera; it is considered that she and Michael Rosing were prime influences in making it possible to use native actors to play opera seria
Opera seria
Opera seria is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to c. 1770...
in Denmark in the 18th century. She was also one of the first Danish singers to give concerts.
Her voice was nevertheless thought to be a great undeveloped talent by experts, a judgement given as late as 1793, on a study trip to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. She was also active as an actor, though she was not considered as good in this field. As a person, she was described as a "difficult diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
", who argued with the management and plotted against her colleagues. She had a relationship with General von Eickstedt, who was one of the Theatre's directors, and it was thought that, in 1780, she caused her greatest rival, Caroline Frederikke Müller
Caroline Frederikke Müller
Caroline Frederikke Müller , also known as Caroline Walther, was a Danish and later naturalized Swedish singer , dancer and actor and principal of the theatre academy Dramatens elevskola...
, to leave Denmark. Indeed, in 1800, she and her husband were placed in jail after a conflict with the Theatre. She retired from the Royal Danish theatre in 1821, and gave her last ever concert in 1823.
Catarine was from 1789 married to the court-violinist Jörgen Berthelsen and 1797 with the actor Jörgen Peder Frydendahl.