Duskova, Josefina

SINGER, PIANIST, HARPIST (CZECHIA)
BORN 6 Mar 1754, Praha - DIED 8 Jan 1824, Praha
BIRTH NAME Hambacherova, Josefina
GRAVE LOCATION Praha: Malostransky Cemetery, Plzenska Street (I,7)

Josepha Hambacher was the daughter of the rich apothecary Anton Adalbert Hambacher. She studied music with Frantisek Xaver Dusek and she married him in 1776. Together they often hosted musical events at their Villa Bertramka in Prague. Before her marriage she had been the lover of Count Christian Philipp Clam-Gallas who provided her with an annuity afterwards.

She had a successful singing career and appeared in Vienna, Salzburg, Dresden, Weimar, Warswa and Berlin. In 1777 she met Mozart in Salzburg, her mother's native town. Mozart wrote an aria for her at that time and in 1786 he accompanied her at a concert for the Viennese court. In 1789 she sang at concerts in Dresden and Leipzig during Mozart's German tour.

Beethoven wrote a concert aria for her that was first performed by Countess Josephine Clary but sung afterwards by Josefina in Prague and Leipzig. After her husband died in 1799 she endd her public career. She sold the Villa Bertramka and lived in smaller appartments in Prague. By the time of her death in 1824 she lived in poor circumstances.

Family
• Husband: Dusek, Frantisek Xaver (1776-1799)

Related persons
• was a friend of Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Events
21/11/1796Performance of Beethoven's "Ah, perfido" in Leipzig. The singer was Josefina Duskova. Beethoven had written it for her when he was in Prague. At that time she wasn't available and it was performed in Prague by Josephine Clary, to whom Beethoven dedicated the piece afterwards. [Beethoven, Ludwig van]

Images

The grave of Frantisek Dusek and Josefina Duskova at the Malostransky cemetery, Prague.
Picture by Androom (11 Aug 2019)

 

Sources
Josepha Duschek - Wikipedia (EN)


Dussaut, Caroline

Published: 06 Sep 2019
Last update: 22 Dec 2019