Viardot-García, Pauline, 1821-1910.

French singer, composer, and teacher.

Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821-1910) was one of the most celebrated French mezzo sopranos of the 19th century, and a truly cosmopolitan woman artist. The collection reflects all aspects of her life: firstly as a singer, composer, and teacher; secondly as the mistress and muse of Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883) whose papers she guarded after his death; and thirdly as the center of a large circle of friends, entertaining and collaborating with the intellectual and artistic elite of Paris, and, indeed, of Europe. Her support and friendship inspired Hector Berlioz, Johannes Brahms, César Franck, Jules Massenet, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Camille Saint-Saëns to write major works for her. Other close friends included Frédéric Chopin, Gustave Corot, Gustave Doré, Heinrich Heine, Franz Liszt, George Sand, and Clara Schumann. Many of them enjoyed the warm hospitality and happy family life that included Pauline Viardot-Garcia's four talented children. See: April FitzLyon. The price of genius; a life of Pauline Viardot (London, 1964).

Pauline Viardot-Garcia was one of the most celebrated French mezzo sopranos of the 19th century. The collection reflects all aspects of her life as singer, composer, and teacher; as closest friend of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, whose papers she guarded after his death; and as center of a large circle of friends from the literary, musical, and artistic elite of her time. Her support and friendship inspired H. Berlioz, J. Brahms, C. Franck, J. Massenet, G. Meyerbeer, and C. Saint-Saëns to write major works for her.

French mezzo-soprano of Spanish origin, composer, and teacher of singing.

French singer.

García married Louis Viardot in 1840. As the letter uses her maiden name it may date from before her marriage.

Pauline Viardot-García (1821-1910) was a French mezzo-soprano, composer, and teacher, of Spanish origin.