Jenny Lind (Goldschmidt)
The World’s Sweetest Singer
1821 – 1887 A.D.
She was born in Stockholm and was the daughter of a teacher of languages.
She is said to have been able at three years of age to repeat a song which she had heard but once. At ten years of age she sang children parts on the Stockholm stage. After two years her upper notes lost their sweetness, and for four years she was in retirement. This time was devoted to the study of instrumental music and composition.
At the end of her period her voice had recovered it’s power and purity on every note of its register of two and one half octaves. For a year and a half she was the star of the Stockholm opera.
She gave a series of concerts to obtain means to go to Paris for study, but the French teacher did not appreciate her powers and she returned to her native city.
In 1844, being then twenty-three years of age, she went to Dresden and when Queen Victoria visited that city the following year, she sang in the fêtes. This opened the way to astonishing success in other German cities.
In 1847 she went to London and was enthusiastically received. Here she sang for the first time in oratorio.
Jenny Lind visited America in 1850. P.T. Barnum was instrumental in her coming to the country, and by 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, musician and conductor. She appeared on the stage only at intervals after her marriage and usually at concerts given for charitable purposes. In this work she was deeply interested, and we may well add to her title of singer that of philanthropist.
Her later years were spent in London, where she died in 1887. Her life and songs are a sweet memory.
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Reference: Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.
