Emmy Destinn, born February 26, 1878, in Prague, Austro-Hungarian empire - died January 28, 1930, in Ceske Budejovice, Czechoslovakia, a renowned opera singer.

At first Destinn devoted herself to studying the violin, and intended to shine as a virtuoso on that instrument. When she was well on in her teens, however, her voice was so rich and full that she changed her mind and determined upon an operatic career.

Her real name being Kittel, but after taking vocal lessons from Mme. Loewe-Destinn she adopted the last name of her teacher. She made such progress that the Intendent of the Berlin Opera House engaged her at once when she was brought to her notice. She was scarcely nineteen at the time, but her voice and her genius for acting soon won the Berlin public.

Her fame became international in 1901 on account of her singing the part of Senta in The Flying Dutchman at Bayreuth. From that day on her success has been uniform, and she has appeared in London and New York during the regular opera seasons in these cities.

While she was successful in the lighter roles of the Wagner operas, her soprano voice was better adapted to music of a more lyrical type. She exceled in the part of Carmen, in which she was said to rival Calve. Emmy Destinn "created" the part of Madame Butterfly in Puccini's opera of that name, and also the part of Salome in Strauss' opera at its production in Berlin.

She was very versatile and besides being a singer is a poet, novelist and playwright, though nothing she has done in this line has eclipsed her reputation as a singer.

Emmy Destinn passed away in 1930 and was interred in the Vysehrad cemetery in Prague.

This article is based on a text from the Etude magazine, 1909-1922. (in part)