Justina Kristina Casagli née Wässelius (4 October 1794 – 1841) was a

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

opera singer. She was internationally famous and active in Italy and Germany. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Life

Justina Casagli was born in Stockholm. She was the daughter of a tapestry manufacturer, and the sister of

Jeanette Wässelius Marie Jeanette Wässelius (23 August 1784 – 5 December 1853) was a Swedish opera singer. She is referred to as the leading prima donna of the Royal Swedish Opera in the early 19th-century. She was a ''Hovsångare'' (1815) as well as an ...

. The home was reportedly a poor one. Following the example of her elder sister, she was enrolled in the

Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy ( sv, Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, also known as ''Dramatens elevskola''), was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years (1787–1964) seen as the f ...

in 1805 under the tutelage of

Sofia Lovisa Gråå Sofia Lovisa Gråå née ''Palm'', (1749 – 8 May 1835ssa.stockholm.seKlara döda/ref>) was a Swedish educator of actors, and noted for innovations that in modern times would be described as feminist. Biography Sofia Lovisa Palm was from 1788 m ...

. As such, she was active as a student in the performances of the student school. She was engaged at the

Royal Swedish Opera Royal Swedish Opera ( sv, Kungliga Operan) is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Location and environment The building is located in the center of Sweden's capital Stockholm in the borough of Norrmalm, on the eastern side ...

in 1812-18. She married the Italien ballet dancer Luigi Casagli in 1812 and was thus known as Justina Casagli. Justina Casagli was described as a graceful and lively beauty with a flexible voice and flawless dramatic ability. As her sister, the acknowledged prima donna at the time, she was one of the most valued members of the Royal Opera, which is visible in their contract: as her sister, she was given a salary of 1000 ''

riksdaler The svenska riksdaler () was the name of a Swedish coin first minted in 1604. Between 1777 and 1873, it was the currency of Sweden. The daler, like the dollar,''National Geographic''. June 2002. p. 1. ''Ask Us''. was named after the German Thaler. ...

'', another 400 for concerts and the right to six months study trips. Justina Casagli was inducted to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1817, the same year as her sister and Anna Sofia Sevelin, both of them elite singers of the Opera. In 1818, Casagli left Sweden with her spouse and made her a successful Italian debut in '' La Cenerentola'' by

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

in Turin. She continued to tour Italy successfully the following years, and became the first Swedish opera singer to have made an international career. In 1823, she made her debut in Rossini's '' La donna del lago'' in Rome, where her success was so great that she was said to have "made herself immortal". In Lucca in 1827, she made another performance in Cimarosa's '' Il matrimonio segreto'', which attracted fame, before finding permanent employment. She was engaged at the National Theatre Munich in Munich in Germany in 1827-31. In 1831, she was widowed and returned to Sweden, where she sought employment at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. She was refused a position because there where concerns that her voice had been damaged, and there was also less need for her after her former role there was filled by

Henriette Widerberg Henriette Sophie Widerberg (3 September 1796 – 3 April 1872) was a Swedish opera singer ( soprano) and memoirist. She was an elite member of the Royal Swedish Opera and its prima donna for over twenty years. She was appointed ''Hovsångare'' ...

. Justina Casagli spent her last years in Parma, where she died. Her last years where marred by financial problems, and she committed suicide by throwing herself out a window during a depression caused by her financial difficulties.Ahnfelt, Arvid,
Europas konstnärer
' Artists of Europe' 1887 (Swedish)

References

* Hofberg, Herman,
Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon
' Swedish biographical dictionary' 1906 (Swedish) * Ahnfelt, Arvid,
Europas konstnärer
' Artists of Europe' 1887 (Swedish) * Nils Bohman, Svenska män och kvinnor. Bok 2 Swedish Men and women. Dictionary. Book 2'(Swedish) * Gustaf Hilleström, Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, Matrikel 1771-1971 Royal Academy of Music 1771-1971'(in Swedish)

Life

References

Further reading