Birgitte Winther (1751-18 April 1809) was a Danish stage actress and
opera singer. She belonged to the elite members of the Royal Danish
Theatre in 1774-1805. She has been referred to as one of the three
most noted female opera singers in 18th-century Denmark.Birgitte
Winther was the daughter of the school teacher Peder Winther and
Bolette Marie Palle. She never married. She was one of the first
students to be included in the first class of the newly founded opera
school in 1773. She was the student of Michel Angelo Potenza.She made
her debut in 1774. Though active both as a singer and an actress, as
was the custom at the Royal theater, she was famed as an opera singer.
As an actress, she was somewhat criticized for being too stiff. As a
singer, however, Winther was named the best opera singer in Denmark
and as the prima donna of the Danish opera alongside Catharine
Frydendahl and Caroline Frederikke Müller. She was considered
undefeated in her ability to perform long arias.Not only active at the
Royal Danish Theatre, she also toured Denmark and performed on
concerts at the countryside. Also in the capital, she frequently
performed in concerts, and along Michael Rosing and Jens Musted, she
often performed at the concerts hosted by Det musikalske Selskab and
Det harmoniske Selskab, to such an extent that the Royal Theatre
complained and stated that when Winther performed so often outside of
the theatre, it was not longer necessary for the audience to come
there to hear her, which caused the theatre a financial loss.
opera singer. She belonged to the elite members of the Royal Danish
Theatre in 1774-1805. She has been referred to as one of the three
most noted female opera singers in 18th-century Denmark.Birgitte
Winther was the daughter of the school teacher Peder Winther and
Bolette Marie Palle. She never married. She was one of the first
students to be included in the first class of the newly founded opera
school in 1773. She was the student of Michel Angelo Potenza.She made
her debut in 1774. Though active both as a singer and an actress, as
was the custom at the Royal theater, she was famed as an opera singer.
As an actress, she was somewhat criticized for being too stiff. As a
singer, however, Winther was named the best opera singer in Denmark
and as the prima donna of the Danish opera alongside Catharine
Frydendahl and Caroline Frederikke Müller. She was considered
undefeated in her ability to perform long arias.Not only active at the
Royal Danish Theatre, she also toured Denmark and performed on
concerts at the countryside. Also in the capital, she frequently
performed in concerts, and along Michael Rosing and Jens Musted, she
often performed at the concerts hosted by Det musikalske Selskab and
Det harmoniske Selskab, to such an extent that the Royal Theatre
complained and stated that when Winther performed so often outside of
the theatre, it was not longer necessary for the audience to come
there to hear her, which caused the theatre a financial loss.
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