Elena Sanz

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Elena Armanda Nicolasa Sanz y Martínez de Arizala

Elena Armanda Nicolasa Sanz y Martínez de Arizala (born December 15, 1849 in Castellón de la Plana , Valencia region , † December 24, 1898 in Paris ) was a Spanish opera singer ( alto ).

Life

Elena Sanz was the daughter of an officer from Cordoba . First she was instructed to play the piano by Maestro Aspa, later her voice was trained by the Spanish composer and musicologist Baltasar Saldoni , among others . She also took lessons from the opera singer Mariano Padilla y Ramos . In 1868 she traveled to Paris and that year made her debut at the Chambéry theater in the role of Azucena in Verdi's Il trovatore . In 1876 she made appearances at La Scala in Milan , for example as Leonor in the opera La favorite by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti , as well as in South America, where she sang the role of Amneris in Verdi's Aida in Rio de Janeiro . The Russian Emperor Alexander II was present in person when she performed at the Imperial Court Opera of Saint Petersburg .

As early as 1872, a love affair had been established in Vienna between Elena Sanz and the Spanish heir to the throne Alfons (XII) , who became king two years later . After the Italian opera singer Adela Borghi , who was also one of Alfons' lovers, had to leave Spain under pressure from the influential statesman Antonio Cánovas del Castillo , Elena Sanz rose to be the king's main favorite. It was publicly known that she was Alfonso XII. In 1880 and 1881 two illegitimate sons, Alfonso and Fernando , gave birth; The latter later became an important track cyclist. Alfons' wife Maria Christina finally managed to get Elena Sanz to move to Paris. There the opera singer received a visit from Alfons' mother Isabella II , who had financially supported her musical career.

In 1893, the English premiere of the three-act opera Samson et Dalila by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns should have taken place in London , with Elena Sanz performing the role of Dalila; however, this musical performance was never realized. Elena Sanz died in Paris at Christmas 1898 at the age of 49.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Sanz, Elena
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sanz y Martínez de Arizala, Elena Armanda Nicolasa (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spanish opera singer
DATE OF BIRTH December 15, 1849
PLACE OF BIRTH Castellón de la Plana , Valencia region
DATE OF DEATH December 24, 1898
Place of death Paris