Clotilde Cerdà

She made her solo debut at the Vienna World's Fair when she was eleven, directed by Johann Strauss II.

Her performance was praised by Isabel II and Victor Hugo who together coined her stage name, Esmeralda Cervantes.

She was born into the family of engineer Ildefonso Cerdá, who designed the 19th-century "extension" of Barcelona called the Eixample,[2] and painter Clotilde Bosch [es].

After their marriage broke down, allegedly because Clotilde was born from an extramarital affair, she moved with her mother to Madrid when she was three years old.

[2] The former[a] christened her Cervantes[2] (after the Spanish writer) while the latter named her Esmeralda[2] (after the heroine of his most performed work, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame).

[4] Queen Elizabeth II gave her support throughout her artistic career, taking Cerdá under her protection and helping her through her contacts.

[5] On 21 February 1875, the so-called Liceo Esmeralda was created, an institution that arose under the protection of Alfonso XII, the queen mother, and the princess of Asturias.

[6] In 1875 Cerdà embarked on a tour of the Americas, performing in Buenos Aires, at the court of the emperor of Brazil and in Mexico City.

Queen regent María Cristina's secretary, the Count of Morphy, wrote her a letter in a paternalistic tone, disapproving of her dedication to political affairs instead of focusing her efforts on her career as an artist.

She received a papal blessing in 1875 from Pope Leo XIII, and wrote religious music such as "Invocation to the Virgin of Montserrat" (Op.