Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-09-26
CHRISTINE NILSSON, ONCE SWEET
VOICED, NEARs THE END.
DAUGHTER OF A PEASANT
Twenty Years Ago She Delighted
Music Lovers of TWO WORLDS
First Visit to America in 1870
Trip Melted $500 Ooo-Miranda,
Husband in Name Only.

Stockholm, Sept 24.-The Countess
de Miranda, better known as Christine
Nilsson, who was world famous years
ago as an operate singer, is dan
gerously i'll at her childhood home
near the hamlet of Hussaby, on the
southern confines Of the Swedish pen
insula. The countess has been out
of the public eve for twenty years
now, but there are many who still
preserve vivid recollection of how
her exquisite voice thrilled large
audiences in all the capitals of
Europe and in America in the sew
entities.
The once famous singer is now in
her sixty-fifth year. Her father was a
peasant and she was the eighth child.
Her father was an impassioned ad-
niirer of music and it was from him
that Christine learned the first scale
of the musical notes. She began her
public career as child by singing at
fairs and weddings under the direc-
ton of an elder brother. One day at
fair at Ljumby the singing of
Christine attracted the attention of
local magistrate by the name of
Thornerhjelm who saw her parents
young girl She was first sent to an
excellent school in Gothenberg, where
she remained two years. Afterward
she was sent to Stockholm, where she
was instructed by Nj. Franz Berwald,
She made her first appearance at
Stockholm in 1860, went to Paris,
continued her musical education ur-
der Masset and Wurtel, and made her
debut at the Theatre Lyrique, in
October 1864, as Violetta in the
"Traviata," with such success that
she was engaged for three years.
She made her first appearance in Lon
don at Her Majestys Theatre in 1867,
and proved the great operate attrac-
ton at that establishment during the
season. In 1870 she made her first
visit to the United States. where.
within less than year, she is said
to have cleared nearly 100000.
Her first husband was III. Auguste
RouZaud, the son of an eminent
French merchant, to whom she was
married in London in 1872 He died
in Paris ten years later, and in 1887
she married Count Angel de Miranda.
Miranda was very unattractive lit
tie man. the son of a lady who was
governess to the first wife of the late
King of Spain and whom the latter
raised to the rank of countess.
The story of Miranda's marriage
with Christine Nilsson is peculiar
one. He was her husband only in
name, and never lived with her. The
famous singer merely married him on
account OF his daughter. The latter
was lovely girl whose acquaintance
Christine made at Nice. The singer
became deVotedly attached to the girl
and finally declared that she could
not bear the idea Of separation and
proposed to adopt her The Count
de Miranda gave his consent stipu-
lating, however, that the singer
should likewise adopt him as husband
and provide for his financial welfare,
undertaking to remain her husband
only in name. The arrangement was
carried out according to agreement.
With her marriage Christine retired
from the operate stage and CON
tinued to divide her time between
France and Spain. OF late years,
however, she has made her home al.
together in Sweden.