Josepha Weber

Josepha grew up mostly in Mannheim, and moved with her family first to Munich then to Vienna, following the singing career of her sister Aloysia.

By 1789 she was the prima donna in the theatrical troupe run by Johann Friedel at the suburban Theater auf der Wieden.

[3] At the (highly successful) premiere of The Magic Flute in 1791, Hofer took the role of the Queen of the Night, a famously demanding coloratura part.

She was again the Queen of the Night in Schikaneder and Winter's sequel to The Magic Flute, Das Labyrinth oder der Kampf mit den Elementen (1798).

Of her singing, the New Grove says; "According to contemporary reports, she commanded a very high tessitura but had a rough edge to her voice and lacked stage presence."

Josepha Hofer in performance with the Schikaneder troupe: the number "O Anton du bist mein" from the Singspiel Die Zween Anton . Hofer is in the foreground, holding the hand of tenor Benedikt Schack .