Etelka Gerster

She studied with Mathilde Marchesi at the Vienna Conservatory, and made her debut at the Teatro Fenice in Venice with great success as Gilda in Rigoletto (January 1876).

The following year, she married her director Pietro Gardini, and after a tour of Europe visited the United States, singing at the Academy of Music, New York, in 1878, 1883 and 1887.

From 1878 to 1887 she performed mainly in North America with the Mapleson Opera Company, that undertook extensive tours through the USA.

There was a great rivalry between Etelka Gerster and Adelina Patti and the American public took fully part in this battle.

Among her students were Ilona Durigo, Therese Schnabel, Matja von Niessen-Stone, and Lotte Lehmann and Dutch contralto Julia Culp (1880-1970).