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Jenny Lind

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Jenny Lind was a famous opera singer from Sweden.

Jenny Lind in La Sonnambula
Jenny Lind in La Sonnambula

People often called her the "Swedish Nightingale" because her voice was so beautiful. She was a soprano, which is a type of singer with a high voice.

Jenny Lind retouched
Jenny Lind retouched

Lind was known for more than just her singing. People also loved her ability to act in her roles. She performed in many famous operas like "Norma" and "La sonnambula." Her talent made her one of the most respected singers of the 1800s.

Jenny Lind (Boston Public Library)
Jenny Lind (Boston Public Library)

Lind discovered her talent when she was a young girl in Stockholm.

Kungliga Operan, building in 2021 (1 of 2)
Kungliga Operan, building in 2021 (1 of 2)

A maid heard her singing and told a famous dancer. This dancer helped Lind get into a special acting school. Lind started singing on stage when she was only ten years old. At age twelve, she had a hard time with her voice. A teacher named Manuel García helped her recover. He made her stop singing for three months to rest. Then, he taught her a healthy way to sing called "Bel canto."

Autograf, Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, Nordisk familjebok
Autograf, Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, Nordisk familjebok

Lind's career grew very quickly across Europe. In 1838, she sang a major role in "Der Freischütz." By the age of 20, she was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. She was also a singer for the King of Sweden and Norway. She worked closely with the famous composer Felix Mendelssohn. He even wrote music with her specific voice in mind. After singing in London, she chose to retire from opera at age 29.

Jenny Lind nd
Jenny Lind nd

In 1850, Lind traveled to the United States for a huge tour.

Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, obverse
Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, obverse

A showman named P. T. Barnum helped organize her concerts. People were so excited to see her that they called it "Lind mania." She gave 93 large concerts during this time.

Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, reverse
Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, reverse

Lind earned more than $350,000 from these shows. She did not keep the money for herself. Instead, she gave it to charities. Most of the money helped build free schools in her home country of Sweden.

Lind's life was full of connections to other famous people. The writer Hans Christian Andersen was a friend of hers. He even used her as inspiration for his fairy tales. After Mendelssohn died in 1847, Lind helped honor his memory. She raised money to start a music scholarship. The very first student to receive this scholarship was Arthur Sullivan.

Lind-memorial-westminster-abbey
Lind-memorial-westminster-abbey

Later in life, she taught singing in London. She lived until 1887 and left a lasting mark on the world of music.

Jenny-Lind-later-life
Jenny-Lind-later-life
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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Kungliga Operan, building in 2021 (1 of 2).jpg
Kungliga Operan, building in 2021 (1 of 2).jpg
File:Jenny Lind in La Sonnambula.jpg
Jenny Lind in La Sonnambula.jpg
File:Jenny Lind retouched.jpg
Jenny Lind retouched.jpg
File:Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, obverse.jpg
Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, obverse.jpg
File:Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, reverse.jpg
Jenny Lind Token ND about 1850 USA, reverse.jpg
File:Jenny Lind Advert Sheffield.jpg
Jenny Lind Advert Sheffield.jpg
File:Autograf, Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, Nordisk familjebok.svg
Autograf, Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, Nordisk...
File:Jenny-Lind-later-life.jpg
Jenny-Lind-later-life.jpg
File:Jenny Lind (Boston Public Library).jpg
Jenny Lind (Boston Public Library).jpg
File:Lind-memorial-westminster-abbey.jpg
Lind-memorial-westminster-abbey.jpg
File:Jenny Lind nd.jpg
Jenny Lind nd.jpg
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