Caroline Müller (mezzo-soprano)

Caroline Müller

Caroline Frederikke Müller (née Halle; 5 February 1755 – 17 November 1826), also known as Caroline Walther, was a Danish and later naturalized Swedish singer (mezzo-soprano), dancer and actor and principal of the theatre academy Dramatens elevskola. She was born as Caroline Halle, was known in Denmark as Caroline Walther (after her first marriage in 1774), and in Sweden as Caroline Müller (after her second marriage in 1780). She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and a royal court singer (Hovsångare).

Background and career in Denmark

Born an illegitimate child, her stepfather Thomas Jespersen, who was employed as a machinist at the Royal Danish Theatre, got her accepted as a student there. At the age of six, she danced at the Royal Danish Theatre ballet; she debuted as an actress in 1768, and in 1769, she was employed as a singer and actress and became one of the most celebrated stage artists in Denmark.

During the 1770s, she was considered to be one of the greatest talents within Danish opera. In 1772, she played 124 parts, in everything from romantic drama to tragedy; she followed in the footsteps of her mentor, the versatile primadonna Lisbeth Cathrine Amalie Rose. In 1773, she left her mother, who had abused her, and, in 1774, she married the music instructor and secretary Thomas Walther; however, they separated in 1775 when he moved abroad.

Career in exile

In 1780, she herself left Denmark, and moved to Sweden; she wished to gain a divorce so that she could remarry, but had not been permitted to by the authorities in Denmark - this is reported to be as a result of an intrigue planned by her great rival, Catharine Frydendahl. In 1777, General von Eickstedt became a part of the management of the opera, and it is said that he worked to benefit the career of his mistress Frydendahl. He prevented that Caroline Frederikke Müller's lover became employed at the opera, and had him exiled. The opera direction was reportedly afraid that they would lose Caroline if she married a foreigner.

Müller therefore went to Sweden with her lover, the German musician Christian Friedrich Müller (1752-1827), where she got her divorce and then married him in Gothenburg (she is reported to have eskaped from her contract in Denmark dressed as a man). She then joined the Royal Swedish Opera in Bollhuset in Stockholm, where she spent the rest of her career. In 1782, as she was about to play a main part in the opening performance of the newly built house of the Royal Swedish Opera, she left the country, then stayed a year in London, all to escape her creditors; in England, she became the first Danish opera singer to perform abroad.

Career in Sweden

In 1783, although she had previously broken her contract, King Gustav III of Sweden offered her immunity and a raised salary, and she returned to her position at the Swedish opera. When Elisabeth Olin retired, Müller replaced her as the most celebrated female singer in Sweden; her spouse, Christian Fredidrich Müller, became a musician at Kungliga Hovkapellet (in 1787-1817 as a principal violinist) and she herself became the court singer of King Gustav and played leading parts in his many operas.

She was active in training future singers and actors for the Swedish opera. She was inducted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1788; her spouse was also elected the same year. In 1791, she visited Denmark and was present at a performance given in honor of her mentor, Lisbeth Cathrine Amalie Rose.

She retired from the stage in 1806 at the temporary closure of the Opera. She made her last appearance in 1810, at the coronation of King Charles XIII of Sweden, playing her most popular part, Christina Gyllenstierna. In 1812, she succeeded Sofia Lovisa Gråå as instructor and principal of the students at the actors' school, Dramatens elevskola, a position she kept until 1815.

Caroline Müller was regarded as Sweden's leading opera prima donna after Elisabeth Olin, and was succeeded as such by Jeanette Wässelius after her retirement. She then became director of the theatre school during a significant period of expansion and development in its history.

Roles

She played the title role in Alceste by Gluck with Carl Stenborg and Kristofer Kristian Karsten (season 1780–81); Anguelique in Roland by Philippe Quinault with Stenborg and Karsten (1781–82); Iphigenie in Iphigénie en Tauride by Gluck with Stenborg and Karsten; Christina Gyllenstierna in Gustaf Vasa by Gustav II composed by Naumann with Stenborg and Karsten (1785–86); Armide in Armide by Quinault with Stenborg and Karsten (1786–87); Christina of Holstein-Gottorp in Gustaf Adolf och Ebba Brahe (Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe) by Gustav III with Franziska Stading, Stenborg and Karsten (1787–88); Prosper in Azémia by Nicolas Dalayrac with Abraham de Broen and Karsten (1792–93); Aretea in Alcides inräde in världen (Alcides arrival into the world) by Haeffner with Carl Fredrik Fernstedt and Marie Louise Marcadet; Georgino in La soirée orageuse by Dalayrac with Abraham de Broen and Kjell Waltman; Josef in Les deux petits savoyards by Dalayrac with Kristofer Kristian Karsten and Marie Louise Marcadet (1793–94); Malena in De gamla friarna (The old Suitors) by Dalayrac with Kjell Waltman, Carl Magnus Craelius, Maria Franck and Inga Åberg; Lisette in Renaud d'Ast by Dalayrac with Karsten (1795–96); Colombine in Le tableau parlant by André Grétry with Carolina Kuhlman (1798–99); and Dido in Aeneas in Carthago (Aeneas in Carthage) with Stenborg and Karsten (1799–1800).

See also

References

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