Charlotte Sainton-Dolby by Silvy

Charlotte Sainton-Dolby (1821-1885); English contralto.
She studied singing at the Royal Academy of Music in London and her first appearance was at a Royal Philharmonic Society concert in 1841. In 1845 she sang at the “Gewandhaus Leipzig” ,through the influence of the composer Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, who was very impressed by her interpretation of his oratorium “Paulus(St. Paul)”. In Leipzig she performed together with the famous soprano Jenny Lind. After her success at Leipzig she made several concert tours in France and The Netherlands. In 1860 she married the French violonist and composer Prosper Sainton (1813-1890). In 1870 she ended her (public) singing career, but in 1872 she started her own vocal academy in London. She was also the composer of various cantatas: “The Legend of St Dorothea” (1876), “The Story of the Faithful Soul” (1879) and “Florimel” (1885). Her last public appearance was at her husband's farewell concert in June 1883.