Lovisa Augusti
Encyclopedia
Lovisa Sofia Augusti, was a Swedish opera singer. She was a court singer (Hovsångare
) and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
.
, Lovisa had already made a name for herself in her childhood as a singer in Gothenburg
. Lovisa Augusti is first mentioned in Varberg
in 1766, where she sang "Italian arias" while her fourteen year old brother played the violin. In 22 February 1767, she performed as a concert in Gothenburg directed by a musician fo the Hovkapellet. She converted to Christianity in Gothenburg in 1767, when she received the name Lovisa Sofia Salmoni at her baptismal. The conversion was made together with her brother, who was a violinist, to avoid the regulations of non-Christian entertainers.
A the age of seventeen, as the protegée of the wife of the General von Kaulbar, she sang for King Gustav III of Sweden
in Kristianstad
, who was so impressed by her performance that he granted her a position at the Royal Swedish Opera
at Bollhuset
in Stockholm
and made her a court singer
(1773). She was married at the time, and her husband, F.B. Augusti, who was also a musician (a violin
ist), was given a position in the royal chapel; her brother, also a violinist, were given the same position, which he kept until 1812. In her personal appearance, she was described as short and pretty, and often called "Lilla fru Augusti" ("Little Mrs Augusti").
The details of her musical education are entirely unknown; however, she most likely did not receive formal education. She was thought by many to be naturally talented, and she was considered to be one of the best singers in Sweden at that time. At her debut in the Opera in Stockholm, one viewer mused that "at the sight of her, one thought one saw Venus, but when she started singing, one found she was Apollo."
Her most well-known roles were her portrayal of Apollo
(and later the part of Eurydice) in Orpheus and Eurydice
by Glück in 1775, the part of Love in Adonis
(the season 1775-1776), Astrild in Silvie by Berton (1773–1774), the Joy in Amphion
by Adlerbeth, Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
in Gustaf Vasa by Gustav III (1785) and Märta Banér in Gustaf Adolf and Ebba Brahe by Gustav III (1787–1788). Other parts were Amphitrite
in Neptun and Amphitrite by Gallodier with Johan Filip Lising (1774–1775), Aeglé in Aeglé by Adlerbeth with Carl Stenborg
(1774–1775), Zelis in Aline, drottning av Golconda by Uttini, (1775–1776), Lucile in Lucile with Carl Stenborg (1775–1776), Lovisa in Desertören (1776–1777), and Jealousy in Procris and Cephal by Gretry (1777–1778).
Augusti was the cover
for the great prima donna
Elisabeth Olin
whenever she was sick or had to take maternity leave, but when Olin retired in 1784, she was replaced as the leading prima donna by Caroline Halle-Müller, not with Augusti. Augusti remained in the Opera, and in 1788 she was elected in to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
. She died two years later, before she had reached the age of thirty-four. Her spouse left the country because of his debts in 1787, and she had no children
Hovsångare
Hovsångare , literally Court Singer, is a title awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish singing. The formal title was introduced by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1773, with the first recipients being Elisabeth Olin...
) and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
.
Biography
The daughter of Israel Salomon, a traveling Jewish musician from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Lovisa had already made a name for herself in her childhood as a singer in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Lovisa Augusti is first mentioned in Varberg
Varberg
Varberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
in 1766, where she sang "Italian arias" while her fourteen year old brother played the violin. In 22 February 1767, she performed as a concert in Gothenburg directed by a musician fo the Hovkapellet. She converted to Christianity in Gothenburg in 1767, when she received the name Lovisa Sofia Salmoni at her baptismal. The conversion was made together with her brother, who was a violinist, to avoid the regulations of non-Christian entertainers.
A the age of seventeen, as the protegée of the wife of the General von Kaulbar, she sang for King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
in Kristianstad
Kristianstad
Kristianstad is a city and the seat of Kristianstad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 35,711 inhabitants in 2010.-History:The city was founded in 1614 by King Christian IV of Denmark, the city's name literally means 'Town of Christian', as a planned city after the burning of the town of Vä...
, who was so impressed by her performance that he granted her a position at the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
at Bollhuset
Bollhuset
Bollhuset, also called ', ', and ' at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater building in the whole of Scandinavia. The name "" means "The Ball House", and it was built in 1627 for ball sports and used in...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and made her a court singer
Hovsångare
Hovsångare , literally Court Singer, is a title awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish singing. The formal title was introduced by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1773, with the first recipients being Elisabeth Olin...
(1773). She was married at the time, and her husband, F.B. Augusti, who was also a musician (a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist), was given a position in the royal chapel; her brother, also a violinist, were given the same position, which he kept until 1812. In her personal appearance, she was described as short and pretty, and often called "Lilla fru Augusti" ("Little Mrs Augusti").
The details of her musical education are entirely unknown; however, she most likely did not receive formal education. She was thought by many to be naturally talented, and she was considered to be one of the best singers in Sweden at that time. At her debut in the Opera in Stockholm, one viewer mused that "at the sight of her, one thought one saw Venus, but when she started singing, one found she was Apollo."
Her most well-known roles were her portrayal of Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
(and later the part of Eurydice) in Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus und Eurydike
Orpheus und Eurydike is an opera by Ernst Krenek. The German text is based on a play by Oskar Kokoschka.Kokoschka began writing his play during his convalescence and it premiered in 1921, one year before Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus appeared...
by Glück in 1775, the part of Love in Adonis
Adonis
Adonis , in Greek mythology, the god of beauty and desire, is a figure with Northwest Semitic antecedents, where he is a central figure in various mystery religions. The Greek , Adōnis is a variation of the Semitic word Adonai, "lord", which is also one of the names used to refer to God in the Old...
(the season 1775-1776), Astrild in Silvie by Berton (1773–1774), the Joy in Amphion
Amphion
There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology:* Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus . Together they are famous for building Thebes. Amphion married Niobe, and killed himself after the loss of his wife and children at the hands of Apollo and Artemis...
by Adlerbeth, Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
Anna Eriksdotter was a Swedish noble, commander of the city and castle of Kalmar during the Swedish rebellion against Denmark....
in Gustaf Vasa by Gustav III (1785) and Märta Banér in Gustaf Adolf and Ebba Brahe by Gustav III (1787–1788). Other parts were Amphitrite
Amphitrite
In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite was a sea-goddess and wife of Poseidon. Under the influence of the Olympian pantheon, she became merely the consort of Poseidon, and was further diminished by poets to a symbolic representation of the sea...
in Neptun and Amphitrite by Gallodier with Johan Filip Lising (1774–1775), Aeglé in Aeglé by Adlerbeth with Carl Stenborg
Carl Stenborg
Carl Stenborg was a Swedish opera singer, actor, composer and theatre director. He is considered the first great male opera singer in Sweden and one of the pioneers of the Royal Swedish Opera.- Biography :...
(1774–1775), Zelis in Aline, drottning av Golconda by Uttini, (1775–1776), Lucile in Lucile with Carl Stenborg (1775–1776), Lovisa in Desertören (1776–1777), and Jealousy in Procris and Cephal by Gretry (1777–1778).
Augusti was the cover
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
for the great 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...
Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin was a Swedish opera singer and a music composer. She is referred to as the first Swedish Opera prima donna. She was a court-singer . She was the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music...
whenever she was sick or had to take maternity leave, but when Olin retired in 1784, she was replaced as the leading prima donna by Caroline Halle-Müller, not with Augusti. Augusti remained in the Opera, and in 1788 she was elected in to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
. She died two years later, before she had reached the age of thirty-four. Her spouse left the country because of his debts in 1787, and she had no children