Elena Sanz by Mulnier

Elena Sanz (1844-1898); Spanish contralto.
She studied singing with Saldoni in Valencia and continued her studies in Madrid with Mariano de Padilla y Ramos. It is said she reached an international career rather rapidly because of the influence of the Spanish Queen Isabella. The Queen did not approve the relation between Sanz and her son Prince Alfonso /the later King Alfonso XII and preferred seeing Sanz as far away as possible from Madrid. In 1868 she left for Paris and and made her French debut as Azucena in Verdi's "Il Trovatore". In 1876 she sang at La Scala Milan the role of Leonora in Donizetti's "La Favorita" and Odetta in Halévy's "Charles VI". In that same year she made a tour through South-America and performed in the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. The second part of the 1870's she was engaged by the Théâtre-Italien in Paris. During those years she made many guest appearances in France, Italy and Spain. Her most memorable roles were Pierrotto in "Linda di Chamounix", Maddalena in "Rigoletto", Azucena in "Il Trovatore", Amneris in "Aida" and Leonora in "La Favorita".
Elena Sanz, who was regarded as a striking beauty, became known by her relation to King Alfonso XII of Spain. This relation began already in 1872 in Vienna when he was still Crown Prince. Both presented themselves since 1878 on the Castle Riofrio in the vicinity of Madrid and eventually two sons were born: Alfonso Sanz (1880) and Fernando Sanz (1881). During these years Elena Sanz did not occur. The Spanish Queen Maria Cristina prevailed eventually. Sanz had to leave Spain and moved to Paris. The mother of King Alfonso XII. Doña Isabel, who visited her in her exile in Paris, called her "su nuera ante Dios" (her daughter-in-law before God).

On the photo she is seen as Amneris in Verdi's "Aida".