Jenny Lind Biography
(One of the Most Highly Regarded Singers of the 19th Century)
Birthday: October 6, 1820 (Libra)
Born In: Stockholm, Sweden
Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind was a Swedish opera singer who was often called the "Swedish Nightingale". Born in Klara, in central Stockholm, she was one of the most recognized singers of the 19th century who used to perform in Sweden and across Europe. She began singing on stage at the age of ten and landed her first breakthrough role as Agathe in Der Freischütz in 1838 at the Royal Swedish Opera. At the height of her fame, Lind undertook a long tour to the United States upon persuasion by showman P. T. Barnum. Moreover, her advance publicity made her a celebrity even before she arrived in the country. The great singer suffered a vocal damage at one point in her career, but her singing teacher Manuel García saved her voice. After two acclaimed seasons in London, Lind announced her retirement from the opera at the age of 29. During her music career, she had earned over $350,000 from her singing concerts. A big philanthropist, she decided to donate most of the proceeds to charities, primarily the endowment of free schools in Sweden. Her generosity and devotion to charitable causes remained a key feature of her career and significantly enhanced her global popularity even among the public who didn’t have musical interests.