Corona Schröter

She also composed songs, setting texts by Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to music.

In this coeducational setting, students learned a wide variety of musical subjects, including solfège, diction, technique, Italian, and the keyboard.

Corona was a powerful performer, but was often compared to her fellow student and rival, Gertrud Schmeling (Madame Mara) in Hiller's Grosse Konzerte series.

[1] During her time at Hiller's school, Schröter became good friends with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and when he moved to Weimar in 1775 he brought her along as a court singer for Duchess Anna Amalia.

However, while she was employed as a singer, Corona became involved with the amateur court theatre, performing in at least eighteen productions, many of which were written by Goethe himself.

Corona also starred in Goethe's drama Proserpina in which she drew crowds for this "virtuosic solo work.

"[2] Corona and Goethe worked closely on compositions which were performed in the Weimar theater as well as published for their personal libraries between 1776 and 1782.

[3] When the amateur court theatre was replaced by professional actors in 1783, she continued to sing and act in informal settings.

However, lung and respiratory problems forced her to move from Leipzig to Ilmenau with her long-time friend Wilhemine Probst in 1801.