Johanna Elisabeth Döbricht, sometimes referred to by her married name Johanna Elisabeth Hesse, (16 September 1692 — 23 February 1786) was a German

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

active during the first half of the 18th century in concerts and

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

s. Considered by her contemporaries as the finest German female singer of her era, she was referred to as "Die Döbrichtin" by her admirers. Composer

Johann Joachim Quantz Johann Joachim Quantz (; 30 January 1697 – 12 July 1773) was a German composer, flutist and flute maker of the late Baroque period. Much of his professional career was spent in the court of Frederick the Great. Quantz composed hundreds of flute ...

, wrote that she had a "beautiful, euphonious high register".

Life and career

Born in Weissenfels, Johanna was born into the Döbricht family of musicians. Her father Daniel Döbricht (1650–94) was an opera singer in the court of the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, and the

kapellmeister (, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...

at the Weissenfels Capelle. Her mother, Katharina Elisabeth Grosse, was also a soprano. After initial music training from her parents, she studied with Christoph Alt in Weimar. In 1708, at the age of 15, Johanna traveled with her sister, the opera singer and court musician Elisabeth Christiane Döbricht, to join the roster of court singers employed by the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. While Johanna only sang for a couple years in this position, her sister remained as a court singer at Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel for the next 29 years and married Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel court violinist Johann Wilhelm Simonetti. Johanna left Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel to join the roster of resident singers at the

Oper am Gänsemarkt The Oper am Gänsemarkt was a theatre in Hamburg, Germany, built in 1678 after plans of Girolamo Sartorio at the Gänsemarkt square. It was the first public opera house to be established in Germany: not a court opera, as in many other towns. E ...

in Hamburg, Germany where she had her initial success on the opera stage. She was also engaged as a singer by the

Leipzig Opera The Leipzig Opera (in German: ) is an opera house and opera company located at the Augustusplatz and the Inner City Ring Road at its east side in Leipzig's district Mitte, Germany. History Performances of opera in Leipzig trace back to Singspi ...

. On 17 February 1711, she starred in the world premiere of

Christoph Graupner Christoph Graupner (13 January 1683 – 10 May 1760) was a German composer and harpsichordist of late Baroque music who was a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann and George Frideric Handel. Life Born in Hartmannsdorf ...

's opera ''

Telemach Telemach (full legal name: ''Telemach d.o.o.'') is the leading cable television and broadband internet service provider, and the largest alternative fixed line operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company is part of United Group, owned by the B ...

'', which was first performed for the opening of newly built

Staatstheater Darmstadt The Staatstheater Darmstadt (Darmstadt State Theatre) is a theatre company and building in Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany, presenting opera, ballet, plays and concerts. It is funded by the state of Hesse and the city of Darmstadt. Its history began in ...

. She was hired as a court singer in Darmstadt the following July; remaining there for many years. Döbricht married composer and gamba player

Ernst Christian Hesse Ernst Christian Hesse (14 April 167616 May 1762) was a German gambist and composer. Born at Großengottern, Thuringia, he attended school in Langensalza and Eisenach.

on 6 September 1713. She continued to perform in Döbricht and in concert tours even after she was awarded a pension in 1740. In her old age Döbricht was depicted on canvas by German portrait painter

Johann Christian Fiedler Johann Christian Fiedler (31 October 1697, Pirna - 5 September 1765, Darmstadt) was a German portrait painter. Some sources give his year of death as 1768. Biography His father was a brewmaster and his mother's family had long served in the c ...

. She died in

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...

on 23 February 1786.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Döbricht, Johanna Elisabeth 1692 births 1786 deaths German operatic sopranos