Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-09-24
NILSSON
THE ONCE FAMOUS
SINGER IS I'LL
THE COUNTESS DE MIRANDA OF
SWEDEN, AT ONE TIME THE
MOST NOTED oPERATIc
STAR DYING.

Stockholm, Sept. 21.-The Countess
de Miranda, better known as Christine
Nilsson. who was famous years ago as
an operate singer, is dangerously Ill
at her childhood home near the hamlet
OF Hussaby, on the southern confines
OF the Swedish peninsula. The count
tess has been out of the public eye for
twenty years now, but there are many
who still preserve a vivid recollection
of how her exquisite voice thrilled
lareg audiences In all the capitals of
Europe and in America in the seven.
ties.
the once famous singer is now in
her sixty-f1fth year Her father was
a peasant and she was the eight child
Her father was an impassioned ad-
mirer of music and it was from him
that Christine learned the first scale
of the musical notes. she began ner
public career as a child by singing at
fairs and weddings under the direction
of an elder brother. One day at fair
at Ljumby the singing of Christine at
tracted the attention of local magis-
trate by the name Of Thornerhjel who
saw her parents and arranged for the
education of the 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 M. Franz Berwald. She made her
first appearance at Stockholm in 1860,
went to Paris, continued her musical
education under 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 Majesty's Theatre In 1867,
and proved the great operate attract.
lon at that establishment during the
season. In 1870 she made her first Wis.
it to the United States, where, within
less than year, she is said to have
cleared nearly 100000.
| Contracts Strange Marriage.
Her first husband was M. 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 little man, the
son OF lady who was governess tc
the first wife of the late King of Spair
and whom the latter raised to the rank
of countess.
The story of Miranda's marriage witt
Christine Nilsson is peculiar one. He
was her husband only in name. ant
never lived WITH her The famous
singer merely married him on account
of his daughter. The latter was {
lovely girl whose acquaintance Chris
tine made at Nice The singer became
devotedly attached to the girl ane
finally declared that she could not beal
the idea of separation and proposed t,
adopt her. The Count de Miranda gave
| mis- consen,, stipllating, however. tina
| the singer should likewise adopt hin
as husband and provide for his finan
cial welfare, undertaking to remail
her husband only in name. The al
rangenlent was carried out accordin,
to agreement. With her marriag,
Christine retired from the operate
stage and continued to divide her tim
between France and Spain. OF lat
years, however, she has made he
home altogether in Sweden.