Opera Singer. She shall be rembered as the creator of the title role in Richard Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde". The child of a Brazilian diplomat and his French wife, she was raised in the capitals of Europe and studied voice in Paris with baritone and legendary teacher Manuel Garcia II. After making her 1841 operatic debut in Meyerbeer's "Robert le diable" at Breslau she remained there until 1849. Malvina appeared for a time in Coburg and in Hamburg, then joined the Karlsruhe Opera where she met the somewhat younger tenor Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld. The pair sang together during the late-1850s and married in 1860. Moving on to Dresden, they met Wagner in 1862 and were later hired to sing the title roles for the June 10, 1865, Munich world premiere of "Tristan und Isolde". When the overweight Ludwig died of a stroke at age 29 six weeks later Malvina left the stage, never to return. Apparently becoming mentally unhinged for a time, she believed that she was supposed to marry Wagner and attempted to break the great composer away from his wife Cosima. In later years she taught voice in Frankfurt and wrote some songs and poetry. Portrayed by Dame Gwyneth Jones in the 1983 miniseries "Wagner", she was also the subject of Dame Gwyneth's one woman show "O, Malvina!".
Opera Singer. She shall be rembered as the creator of the title role in Richard Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde". The child of a Brazilian diplomat and his French wife, she was raised in the capitals of Europe and studied voice in Paris with baritone and legendary teacher Manuel Garcia II. After making her 1841 operatic debut in Meyerbeer's "Robert le diable" at Breslau she remained there until 1849. Malvina appeared for a time in Coburg and in Hamburg, then joined the Karlsruhe Opera where she met the somewhat younger tenor Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld. The pair sang together during the late-1850s and married in 1860. Moving on to Dresden, they met Wagner in 1862 and were later hired to sing the title roles for the June 10, 1865, Munich world premiere of "Tristan und Isolde". When the overweight Ludwig died of a stroke at age 29 six weeks later Malvina left the stage, never to return. Apparently becoming mentally unhinged for a time, she believed that she was supposed to marry Wagner and attempted to break the great composer away from his wife Cosima. In later years she taught voice in Frankfurt and wrote some songs and poetry. Portrayed by Dame Gwyneth Jones in the 1983 miniseries "Wagner", she was also the subject of Dame Gwyneth's one woman show "O, Malvina!".
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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