Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

226 Jens Hesselager
spiration in Copenhagen at this time then Pauline Lichtenstein seems to
have represented another type, associated in this role at least, not with
Italy, but with a potentially more “Nordic” way of being “southern”, namely
being Jewish.
1838: The debut
In 1838 it had been generally agreed that the young Pauline Lichtenstein
was a brilliant and unusually promising talent – a great new asset for the
Royal Theatre. Hans Christian Andersen was in the audience the night of
her debut. He wrote enthusiastically about the performance in several letters,
even noting in his almanac: “If her [Lichtenstein’s] spirits and heart
are like her singing and nature onstage, I would want her for my wife.” 10
In a later account of the impression made by the 19-year-old Lichtenstein
at her debut, Thomas Overskou described her voice as having a large
compass, sounding “full” and “beautiful” (fyldig og velklingende). He also
complimented her singing for its inner life and the emotional fervour of
her expression and her acting, which he characterised as natural and accomplished
with artistic ease. These combined qualities prompted an outburst
of applause in a first-act ensemble, and she elicited stormy applause
on several occasions, especially in singing her more emotional passages
(pathetiske Satser), which she did with touching energy (gribende Energi)
(Overskou 1864, 334).
Hans Christian Andersen’s contemporary correspondence with his
friend in Odense, Henriette Hanck, generally confirms Overskou’s testimony,
as does Andersen’s rather detailed description in a letter of 28 May
1838 of the two performances of Jødinden he reports to have witnessed.
Like Overskou, Andersen made special mention of Lichtenstein’s acting in
ensemble scenes:
It is surprising to see how she affected her two colleagues, Sahlertz and
Schwartsen. The finale of Act II, in which the three sing together, captured
everyone, and I thought I was in Paris; all three of them acted and
sang in such a way as to bring tears to my eyes; the audience was electri-
10 ”Har hun Aand og Hjerte, som hun er paa Scenen i Sang og Natur, da vilde jeg
have hende til Kone.” (Andersen, Almanac, 25 May 1838) Pauline Lichtenstein’s
performances are also discussed in Hans Christian’s Andersen’s letter to B.S. Ingemann
on 5 June 1838, and in the correspondence with Henriette Hanck, 27 April, 28 May, 9
and 10 June 1838 (Andersen, Letters).