Emmy Destinn

Destinn, Emmy 

(in Czech, Ema Destinnová; pseudonym of Emilia Kittlová). Born Feb. 26, 1878, in Prague; died Jan. 22, 1930, in České Budějovice. Czech dramatic soprano.

From 1892 to 1896, Destinn studied voice with M. Loewe-Destinn (hence the pseudonym). From 1898 to 1908 she sang at the Royal Opera in Berlin. She also gave concerts in Bayreuth, London, Prague, and Paris. From 1908 to 1916 and during the 1920-21 season she was a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, where she sang Italian operas with E. Caruso. During the summer seasons she successfully appeared at the Prague National Theater, which in 1908 made her an honorary member of the opera. During World War I she returned to Bohemia. She taught, gave concerts, and sang at the National Theater. Her dramatic gifts were especially evident in the roles of Carmen in Bizet’s opera, Nedda in Leoncavallo’s / Pagliacci, Liza in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, and Libuse in Smetana’s opera.

REFERENCE

Martinková, M. Zivot Emy Destinnové [2nd ed.). Plzeñ, 1946.