Konstancja Gładkowska (1810–1889) was a Polish soprano.
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...
at age 19, while studying at the Warsaw School of Music (now the
Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
), fell in love with Gładkowska. She admired many early works by Chopin, who in 1830 left Poland, eventually settling in Paris.
Life
Konstancja was born on 2 June 1810 in Warsaw (other dates given for her birth are June 4 and June 10). Her godmother was an illegitimate daughter of Poland's last king,
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, and as Stanisław August Poniatowski (), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuani ...
.
Konstancja studied at the Warsaw Conservatory. In 1829, during a university soloist concert, she met Chopin, for whom she became an inspiration to his music composing.
In the autumn of 1830, when Chopin left Poland, she sang at his farewell.
In 1832 Konstancja married Aleksander Józef Grabowski and lived on her husband's estate in
Raducz, near
Rawa Mazowiecka
Rawa Mazowiecka is a town in central Poland, with 16,090 inhabitants (2022). It lies in the Łódź Voivodeship and is the capital of the Rawa County.
From 1562 the city hosted the ''Rawa Treasury'' for the Military of the Polish–Lithuanian Com ...
. The couple had five children. In 1845 Konstancja lost her eyesight and, despite attempts to treat the condition, never regained her vision.
In 1878 her husband died.
In 1879 she moved to
Skierniewice
Skierniewice () is a city in central Poland with 45,184 inhabitants (2023), situated in the Łódź Voivodeship. It is the capital of Skierniewice County. Through the town runs the small river Łupia, also called Skierniewka.
Located in the hist ...
, where she died in 1889.
Death
Konstancja Gladkowska died in 1889, forty years after Chopin's death. She was buried in a cemetery in the town of
Babsk, 60 km from Warsaw.
Notes
References
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External links
* http://www.warsawvoice.pl/WVpage/pages/article.php/9631/article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gladkowska, Konstancja
1810 births
1889 deaths
Polish sopranos
19th-century Polish women opera singers
Polish operatic sopranos