Pauline Bredelli: South Africa’s elusive first prima donna

Abstract

South Africa’s heritage of producing opera singers of international repute can arguably be traced back to Pauline Bredelli. Bredelli is viewed by many as South Africa’s first prima donna of opera. Previous research provides some details about her life and reports on her concert tours while in South Africa. However, parts of Pauline’s life and legacy remain elusive and fragmented to this day. This author’s research concentrates on Pauline’s artistic accomplishments from 1870 onwards, especially as a sought-after vocalist and pedagogue. After completing her education in Germany, Pauline arrived in the United States of America in about 1872. She established herself as a desired vocalist not only in New York City, but across the United States. While in the United States, Pauline held two faculty positions, first at the Frese-Burck Music School in Louisville, Kentucky, and then at the Southern Female (Cox) College in Atlanta, Georgia. Her ‘Bredelli: School of Voice and Culture of Song’ further attests to her prominence as a vocal pedagogue. This investigation into the life of Pauline Bredelli after 1870 cements her stature as South Africa’s first lady of opera.