Emilie Mechelin

Emilie Mechelin (8 April 1838 — 22 December 1917) was a Finnish operatic soprano and pedagogue. She was the first singing teacher of the Helsinki School of Music (later to become Sibelius Academy).[1]

Emilie Mechelin
Mechelin in the title role of Martha in 1872
Background information
Born(1838-04-08)8 April 1838
Hamina, Grand Duchy of Finland
Died22 December 1917(1917-12-22) (aged 79)
Hamina, Finland
GenresOpera

Early life and education

Johanna Sofia Emilie Mechelin was born to an upper-class family in Hamina in the Grand Duchy of Finland, the eldest of five children of Valtioneuvos ('Councillor of State') Gustaf Johan Mechelin and Amanda née Sagulin.[1] One of Emilie's brothers is Leo Mechelin, who later became an economist, academic and statesman.[2]

Mechelin trained in Paris in 1865-67 and 1869-70 under leading pedagogues of the time, including Pauline Viardot.[1] In 1873-74 she was taught in Stockholm by Signe Hebbe. She also studied for a time in Germany.[1]

Career

Although there was no permanent opera house in Finland at the time, Mechelin performed at the Swedish Theatre and the Arkadia Theatre in at least six productions.[3] She also performed at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm,[1] as well as touring extensively in Finland and Scandinavia.[1]

Mechelin taught singing from early on, with her pupils including Emma Engdahl-Jägerskiöld,[4] Emmy Achté and Ida Basilier-Magelssen.[1]

In 1882, Mechelin was appointed the first teacher of voice at the Helsinki School of Music (Helsingin Musiikkiopisto),[5] which post she held until 1885, when she moved to Kristiania (now Oslo) and later to Stockholm to continue her teaching career.[6]

In the latter part of her career, Mechelin gave up singing almost entirely, dedicating herself instead to giving private lessons.[1] She occasionally performed at concerts until the age of 60, by which time her voice had changed to mezzo-soprano.[1]

References
  1. Hillila, R-E; Hong, B B (1997). Historical Dictionary of the Music and Musicians of Finland. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing. pp. 252–253. ISBN 0-313-27728-1.
  2. "Mechelin, Leo". Kansallisbiografia.fi (in Finnish). National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  3. "Reprises - Database for opera and music theatre performances in Finland c. 1830-1960". UniArts.fi. Sibelius Academy. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  4. "Engdahl-Jägerskiöld, Emma (1852 - 1930)". Kansallisbiografia.fi (in Finnish). National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  5. "Musiikkiopiston johtaja Martin Wegelius oli leppeimmillään iltapäiväsnapsien jälkeen" (in Finnish). Yle. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  6. "19.10.1885 Suomalainen Wirallinen Lehti no 242, s. 2". Suomalainen Wirallinen Lehti (in Finnish). No. 242. 19 October 1885. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via National Library of Finland.
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