Gustaviana Schröder (1701 – 30 May 1763) was a Swedish court singer and member of the ''

Kungliga Hovkapellet Kungliga Hovkapellet (, "The Royal Court Orchestra") is a Swedish orchestra, originally part of the Royal Court in Sweden's capital Stockholm. Its existence was first recorded in 1526. Since 1773 it is part of the Royal Swedish Opera's company. K ...

'' from 1740 to 1763. She was one of five women to have been official members of the Royal Orchestra in the

Age of Liberty In Swedish and Finnish history, the Age of Liberty ( sv, frihetstiden; fi, vapauden aika) was a period that saw parliamentary governance, increasing civil rights and the decline of the Swedish Empire that began with Charles XII's death in 1718 ...

Life

Schröder was born in Stockholm by parents who immigrated from Germany before her birth. She was the sister of

Sophia Schröder Sophia Schröder (Stockholm, 1712 – 29 January 1750) was a Swedish people, Swedish soprano, active as a concert vocalist at the royal orchestra, the ''Kungliga Hovkapellet'', at the royal Swedish court, the first of her gender to have been offic ...

, who alongside Judith Fischer became the first female to be officially employed at the Royal orchestra in 1726. When Judith Fischer retired in 1740, she was given the vacant position in the orchestra, "in recognition of her dedication and skill in music which she had performed in many years for the chapel without compensation."Gunhild Karle (2002). Kungl. Hovmusiken i Stockholm och dess utövare 1697-1771. Uppsala: TryckJouren. She was one of only five women to be officially inducted in the Royal Orchestra during the age of liberty, and one of three, alongside Judith Fischer and

, to be given her salary from the funds of the royal orchestra, in contrast to Hedvig Witte and Cecilia Elisabeth Würzer, who were paid unofficially and from the king's private fund respectively. Gustaviana Schröder remained unmarried and was employed at the chapel until her death. In 1746, the director of the royal orchestra, Carl Gustaf von Düben described her as "still the best voice in the Royal Orchestra". Among her performances were a duet with

hovsångare The titles Hovsångare (, literally "Court Singer") for men and Hovsångerska () for women are awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer (usually an opera singer) who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish s ...

Andreas Erhardt performed at the inauguration of the predecessor of the

Drottningholm Palace Theatre The Drottningholm Palace Theatre ( sv , Drottningholms slottsteater) is an opera house located at Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. It is one of the few 18th century theatres in Europe that is still used as a theatre with its original ...

in 1754.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schroder, Gustaviana 1701 births 1763 deaths 18th-century Swedish singers Age of Liberty people