Wilhelmj, Maria |
| CONCERT SINGER (GERMANY) |
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BORN 27 Jul 1851, Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz - DIED 27 Feb 1930, Wiesbaden, Hessen: Biebrich BIRTH NAME Gastell, Maria GRAVE LOCATION Wiesbaden, Hessen: Nordfriedhof, Platter Strasse |
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Maria Gastell was the daughter of the wealthy factory owner Otto Heinrich Gastell (1817-1890). Her mother was Josefa Camozzi (1826-1884). She studied music under Friedrich Lur in Mainz and under Joachim Raff in Frankfurt am Main. She married the lawyer Albert Wilhelmj on 1 August 1872 in Wiesbaden. He was the brother of the violinist August Wilhelmj and soon she moved in musical circles in Wiesbaden. Hedwig Roland, the first singer of the court theatre, became a close friend and inspired by her she went to Paris to study under Pauline Viardot-Garcia. Possibly she also studied under Theodor Leschetitzky in Vienna. In 1881 she debuted in Wiesbaden as a solo singer. Soon she was touring in Germany, Switzerland and in the Netherlands. In Wiesbaden she founded the Kurorchester. After the First World War the family had lost its wealth and she was forced to move to private rooms in Biebrich. There she gave lessons and occasionally she sang herself for friends. Related persons • was pupil of Raff, Joachim • was pupil of Viardot-Garcia, Pauline |
| Images |
 The grave of Maria Wilhelmj-Gastell at the Nordfriedhof, Wiesbaden. Picture by Androom (26 Jul 2018) |
