Mathilda d'Orozco
Encyclopedia
Mathilda Valeria Beatrix d'Orozco also by marriage known as Cenami, Montgomery-Cederhjelm and Gyllenhaal, (14 June 1796 in Milan
, Italy - 19 October 1863, Stora Ekeby, Rytterne, Sweden), was a Swedish (originally Spanish-Italian) noble
and salonist
, composer, poet, writer, singer, amateur actress and harpsichordist
s. In Sweden, she is perhaps most known under the name Mathilda Montgomery-Cederhjelm.
Mathilda was born in Italy to the Spanish ambassador
in Milan, Count
Nicolas Blasco d'Orozco and Sabina Lederer. She was first married to marquess
Cenami, Stabel Master of the court of the sister of Napoleon, Princess Elisa Bonaparte
. She was widowed before she was twenty. In 1817 in Vienna
, she married second to the Swedish Count colonel
Josias Montgomery-Cederhjelm (d. 1825), with whom she had four children. In 1839, she married the Swedish Baron
Carl Alexander Fredrik Gyllenhaal.
In connection to her second marriage (1817), Mathilda d'Orozco moved to Sweden, were she was to live the rest of her life. In Sweden, she became a noted socialite in the capital, later called "one of the most noted ornaments in the salons of high society during the first happy and vibrant period of the reign of Charles XIV John
" (reign 1818-1844). Used to the warmer climate of Italy, she once remarked : "God was angry when he created the Swedish climate!" She was described as a warm person with great charm and talent within many fields of art, which she developed in her hectic social life. As a member of the nobility, she was presented at the royal court, and took part in the court life of King Charles John and Queen Désirée
, were she became a centre of the courts entertainment. She was an admired, versatile singer, who sometimes accompanied her singing by playing the harp, and took part in the amateur theatre
of the royal court, were she was described as an actress hors ligne, and was seen as a natural, fairylike dancer. The Crown Prince, Oscar
, as well as the British ambassador John Bloomfield, 2nd Baron Bloomfield
belonged to her admirers. After her third marriage (1839), she withdraw from society life and moved to her husband's estate out in the countryside, except from the annual visits to Norrtälje
sea side resort.
Gustaf Lagerbjelke dedicated her the poem "L'une et l'autre".
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy - 19 October 1863, Stora Ekeby, Rytterne, Sweden), was a Swedish (originally Spanish-Italian) noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
and salonist
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
, composer, poet, writer, singer, amateur actress and harpsichordist
Harpsichordist
A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
s. In Sweden, she is perhaps most known under the name Mathilda Montgomery-Cederhjelm.
Mathilda was born in Italy to the Spanish ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in Milan, Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Nicolas Blasco d'Orozco and Sabina Lederer. She was first married to marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
Cenami, Stabel Master of the court of the sister of Napoleon, Princess Elisa Bonaparte
Elisa Bonaparte
Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano was the fourth surviving child and eldest surviving daughter of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, making her the younger sister of...
. She was widowed before she was twenty. In 1817 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, she married second to the Swedish Count colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Josias Montgomery-Cederhjelm (d. 1825), with whom she had four children. In 1839, she married the Swedish Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Carl Alexander Fredrik Gyllenhaal.
In connection to her second marriage (1817), Mathilda d'Orozco moved to Sweden, were she was to live the rest of her life. In Sweden, she became a noted socialite in the capital, later called "one of the most noted ornaments in the salons of high society during the first happy and vibrant period of the reign of Charles XIV John
Charles XIV John of Sweden
Charles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
" (reign 1818-1844). Used to the warmer climate of Italy, she once remarked : "God was angry when he created the Swedish climate!" She was described as a warm person with great charm and talent within many fields of art, which she developed in her hectic social life. As a member of the nobility, she was presented at the royal court, and took part in the court life of King Charles John and Queen Désirée
Désirée Clary
Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary , one-time fiancée of Napoleon Bonaparte, was a Frenchwoman who became Queen of Sweden and Norway as the consort of King Charles XIV John, a former French General. She officially changed her name there to Desideria, a Latin version of her original name...
, were she became a centre of the courts entertainment. She was an admired, versatile singer, who sometimes accompanied her singing by playing the harp, and took part in the amateur theatre
Amateur theatre
Amateur theatre is theatre performed by amateur actors. These actors are not typically members of Actors' Equity groups or Actors' Unions as these organizations exist to protect the professional industry and therefore discourage their members from appearing with companies which are not a signatory...
of the royal court, were she was described as an actress hors ligne, and was seen as a natural, fairylike dancer. The Crown Prince, Oscar
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
, as well as the British ambassador John Bloomfield, 2nd Baron Bloomfield
John Bloomfield, 2nd Baron Bloomfield
John Arthur Douglas Bloomfield, 2nd Baron Bloomfield, GCB, PC, DL was a British peer and diplomatist.-Background:...
belonged to her admirers. After her third marriage (1839), she withdraw from society life and moved to her husband's estate out in the countryside, except from the annual visits to Norrtälje
Norrtälje
Norrtälje is a locality and the seat of Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 17,275 inhabitants in 2010.- History :Norrtälje traces its history to 1219, when the location was first mentioned as Tälje. After some time, the name officially became Norrtälje, to separate it from the...
sea side resort.
Gustaf Lagerbjelke dedicated her the poem "L'une et l'autre".
Work
- Den bedragne (in Swedish: The deceived) - song and music
- Husar-marsch (in Swedish: Husar march) - Norstedt & söner, Stockholm (1854)
- La Serenata Contadinesca con risporta dalla Finestra (in Italian) - song and music
- Sex Sånger för Piano tillägnade fröken Marie von Stedingk (In Swedish: Six songs for piano in dedication to Miss Marie von StedinkMaria Frederica von StedingkMaria Frederica von Stedingk , was a Swedish composer, noble and lady-in-waiting.Stedingk was born in Saint Petersburg to the Swedish Field Marshal Count Kurt von Stedingk and Ulrika Fredrika Ekström...
) - Songs for Piano (1842) - Vid Julbrasan för några år sedan (In Swedish: At the Christmas fire many years ago) - song and music