Ema Pukšec (1834-1889), also known as Ilma De Murska, was a famous 19th century opera singer from Croatia.

Life

Ema was born on February 6, 1834 in Ogulin in today's Croatia. Her place of birth is often mistakenly stated to be Zagreb.

Her mother was Krescencia Brodarotti de Trauenfeld, while father Josip Pukšec was high respected military man stationed in the region around the city of Slunj. For all he did protecting the eastern flanks of western Europe within the Austrian Military Frontier, her father received the nobility status and added the extension Murski to his name. The same was later used by Ema as her surname.

Ema started playing the piano at the age of five. After family moved to Zagreb in 1850. Here she started to sing and think of possible opera career. She married a soldier by the name of Josip Eder in 1851 and they had two children (Alfons and Hermina). In 1857 her own family moved first to Graz and then, in 1860 to Vienna in order to continue advanced studies on Conservatory. Partially, studies led her to Paris, France.

Her professional career started in 1862 and lasted some twenty years. She is sometimes described as the phenomenal Hungarian prima donna what is just partially correct since she was Croatian within Croatia which was at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

She died on January 14, 1889 in Munich, Germany.

Education and Career

Ilma De Murska was coloratura soprano with a range of three octaves. Career of Ilma de Murska started in 1862 in Florence, Italy as Lady Harriet in Martha. Some sources claim she debuted as the queen of Marguerite de Valois in opera Hugenots. Her tour of Europe followed by performing in Hungary, (Budapest), Spain, Italy. After the string of 42 successful performances, there was just one place to go - Vienna.

She came as the guest, the representative of the royal theatre of Berlin and sang on August 16, 1864 in Troubadour of Giuseppe Verdi. Period in Vienna was the best part of her career which was closed on August 10 1873 as Ophelia in the very first performance of the Hamlet in Vienna Court Opera. Her finest roles were the Queen of the Night in "Magic Flute" of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lucia. She also sang Dinorah, Isabella.

Memories

As probably the best among many soprano singers of that time, obviously equaling Adelina Patti, Pauline Lucca, Christine Nilsson, Etelka Gerster, experts, high societies and ordinary listeners in Vienna and London called her - The Croatian nightingale. Murska made her London debut in 1865 as Lucia di Lammermoor at Her Majesty's Theatre. Even after leaving Vienna in 1873, Ilma De Murska was welcome guest and performed in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris. In 1873 and 1874 the soprano toured United States. She also toured Russia, Australia, New Zealand and for a period of time she lectured at Conservatory in New York City.

External links

• Ema Puksec - In Croatian (http://www.ogulin.hr/povijest/puksec.htm)
• Ilma De Murska Historic Picture-USA (http://www.picturehistory.com/find/p/21765/mcms.html)
• Ilma De Murska Historic Picture-Australia (http://www.statelibrary.vic.gov.au/miscpics/0/1/3/doc/mp013265.shtml)
• Croatian Opera Singers - In Croatian (http://www.matica.hr/Vijenac/vij219.nsf/AllWebDocs/prilog)