Emilie da Fonseca

Emilie da Fonseca Muller, married surname Bratz (31 December 1803 in Copenhagen – 8 May 1884 in Oslo), was a Norwegian (originally Danish) stage actor and opera singer. She belonged to the pioneer group of artists in the first national theatre in Norway. She was also among the most noted artists of her time in Norway.

Life

Emilie da Fonseca was the daughter of Abraham da Fonseca (1776–1849) and Marie Sofie Kiærskou (1784–1863). She and her sister Ida Henriette da Fonseca were students of Giuseppe Siboni, choir master of the Royal Danish Theatre Opera in Copenhagen. She debuted in October 1827 as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro at the Copenhagen Opera, and was given a position there alongside her sister the same year.

In 1831, she left Denmark and was given a position at the newly opened Norwegian National Theatre, the Christiania Offentlige Theater in Oslo. It is said that she left Denmark because she did not wish to stand in the shadow of her sister, who became a prima donna in Denmark. In Norway, she became one of the most noted artists. She also performed as a concert singer in the concerts arranged by the musical society, which performed many arias from famous operas in the Norwegian capital at this time.

References

• Norsk musikkhistorisk arkiv
• Salmonsens konversationsleksikon – runeberg.org
• En 150 år gammel sangsamling fra en sangerinde. Ida Henriette da Fonseca – Det Kongelige Bibliotek
• Ida da Fonseca (1806 - 1858) – Dansk Kvindebiografisk Leksikon
• Børre Qvamme: Norsk musikkhistorisk arkiv. Børre Qvammes samlinger. Halfdan Kjerup og Operaen (Halfdan Kjerup and the Opera) (In Norwegian)