Mathilde Mallinger

Mathilde Mallinger (Croatian pronunciation: [mǎliŋger]; 17 February 1847 – 19 April 1920) was a famous Croatian lyric soprano opera singer.

Born as Mathilde Lichtenegger in Zagreb, the daughter of composer and teacher Vatroslav Lichtenegger, she studied singing with Giovanni Battista Gordigiani at the Prague Conservatory and with Richard Loewy in Vienna. While in Vienna she met Richard Wagner, who, after hearing her sing, recommended her to the Munich Hofoper. The opera house engaged her upon his recommendation and she made her professional opera debut there in 1866 in the title role of Vincenzo Bellini's Norma. She spent the next three years performing at that house, singing primarily Wagner roles like Elsa in Lohengrin and Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She created the role of Eva in the world premiere of Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg on 21 June 1868.

Mallinger left Munich to join the roster of principal artists at the Berlin State Opera in 1869. She sang at that house through 1882. She notably sang in the Berlin premieres of Lohengrin (Elsa, 1869), Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1870) and Giuseppe Verdi's Aida (Aida, 1874). She also portrayed Ingeborg in the world premiere of Bernard Hopffner's Frithjof (11 April 1871) and sang in the premiere of Wilhelm Taubert's Cesario oder Was ihr wollt (13 November 1874). Other roles she sang in Berlin included Leonore in Fidelio, Agathe in Der Freischütz, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Valentine in Les Huguenots and several Mozart heroines, including Pamina, Donna Anna and Countess Almaviva.

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