Caroline Unger

Caroline Unger (sometimes Ungher; 28 October 1803 – 23 March 1877), alternatively known as Karoline, Carolina, and Carlotta,[1] was an Austro-Hungarian contralto.

Born in Vienna (according to erroneous sources, in Stuhlweißenburg,[2] today Székesfehérvár) she studied in Italy; among her teachers were Aloysia Weber Lange and Domenico Ronconi.

Three years later she sang in the first performances of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Missa solemnis.

She performed a great deal in Italy, principally in Naples after 1825 when she became engaged to the impresario of the Teatro di San Carlo, Domenico Barbaia.

[3] In 1835, she had a passionate love affair with the French writer Alexandre Dumas during the boat trip they made together from Naples to Palermo, where the singer had been engaged for the autumn season at the Teatro Massimo.