Princess Amalie of Saxony
| Princess Amalie | |
|---|---|
| Princess Amalie of Saxony | |
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| Full name | |
| German: Maria Amalia Friederike Augusta Karolina Ludovica Josepha Aloysia Anna Nepomucena Philippina Vincentia Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal | |
| House | House of Wettin |
| Father | Prince Maximilian of Saxony |
| Mother | Princess Caroline of Parma |
| Born | 10 August 1794 Pillnitz, Dresden |
| Died | 18 September 1870 (aged 76) Pillnitz, Dresden |
| Burial | Katholische Hofkirche |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Amalie Marie Friederike Auguste (10 August 1794 – 18 September 1870),[1] Princess of Saxony, full name Maria Amalia Friederike Augusta Karolina Ludovica Josepha Aloysia Anna Nepomucena Philippina Vincentia Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal, was a German composer writing under the pen name A. Serena, and a dramatist under the name Amalie Heiter. She was the daughter of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and Princess Caroline of Parma. She was the granddaughter of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony; niece of Frederick Augustus I, King of Saxony and Anthony, King of Saxony; sister of Frederick Augustus II, King of Saxony and John, King of Saxony; and aunt of Albert, King of Saxony and George, King of Saxony.
Life
Princess Amalie lived her entire life in Pillnitz Castle near Dresden, Germany. She was a well-educated and intellectually curious woman who composed chamber music, opera, and sacred music, sang, wrote comedies, and played the harpsichord.[2]
Amalie was a young girl during the time of the Napoleonic wars and had to flee from her castle several times. She and her family were forced to sleep on straw wherever they could find shelter. She met Napoleon several times and held a negative opinion of him. When Napoleon told her he was going to invade Austria, she shot back a clever retort.[3]
Musical career
Amalie began writing music in 1811 and composed numerous operas, popular among the Dresden elite. She published her works under the pseudonyms Amalie Heiter and A. Serena. Her most popular compositions were her comedic operas. She portrayed her characters with innovation and color.[4]
Amalie studied with Joseph Schuster, Vincenzo Rastrelli, Johann Miksch, Franz Anton Schubert and Carl Maria von Weber. Weber found her "highly talented."[5]
Musical works
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- Una donna (1816)
- Le nozze funeste (1816)
- Le tre cinture (1817)
- Il prigioniere (1820)
- L'americana (1820)
- Elvira (1821)
- Elisa ed Ernesto (1823)
- La fedeltà alla prova (1826)
- Vecchiezza e gioventù (1828)
- Il figlio pentito (1831)
- Il marchesino (1833)
- Die Siegesfahne (operetta, 1834)
- La casa disabitata (1835)[6]
Ancestry
References
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- ^ Slonimsky, Nicolas, ed. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Vol. 1. New York : Schrimer Books 2001: 67.
- ^ Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Woodbridge, CT : Yorkin, 1999: 254–255.
- ^ The Princess Amalie of Saxony and Napoleon. In: New York Times. 13 May 1883.
- ^ Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Woodbridge, CT : Yorkin, 1999. Vol. 1. pp. 254–255.
- ^ The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers. Eva Rieger. New York : W.W. Norton and Company, 1995, p. 12.
- ^ Rieger, Eva, ed. The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers. New York : W.W. Norton and Company, 1995: 12.
Bibliography
- Slonimsky, Nicolas, ed. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Vol. 1. New York: Schrimer Books, 2001: 67.
- Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Woodbridge, CT: Yorkin, 1999: 254–255.
- The Princess Amalie of Saxony and Napoleon. In: The New York Times. 13 May 1883.
- Rieger, Eva, ed. The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers. New York : W.W. Norton and Company, 1995: 12.
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