Heinefetter
Heinefetter
Heinefetter, family of German opera singers, all sisters:
(1) Sabine Heinefetter , soprano; b. Mainz, Aug. 19, 1809; d. Illemau, Nov. 18, 1872. She made her operatic debut in Ritter’s Der Mandarin in Frankfurt am Main in 1822. Spohr then engaged her for Kassel, but she broke her contract to continue vocal study with Banderali and Tadolini in Paris. After appearances at the Théâtre-Italien there, she sang with brilliant success all over Europe. She created the role of Adina in L’elisir d’amore (Milan, 1832). She made her farewell appearances in Marseilles in 1846. She died insane.
(2) Clara Heinefetter , soprano; b. Mainz, Sept. 7, 1813; d. Vienna, Feb. 23, 1857. She studied with her sister Sabine and with Ciccimarra in Vienna, making her debut there in 1831. She subsequently sang under the name of Mme. Stöckl-Heinefetter. From 1840 to 1842 she appeared in London. Like her sister, she died insane.
(3) Kathinka Heinefetter , soprano; b. Mainz, Sept. 12, 1819; d. Freiburg im Breisgau, Dec. 20, 1858. She studied with her sister Sabine and with Ponchard in Vienna, making her debut in Frankfurt am Main in 1836. She retired from the stage in 1853. Three other Heinefet-ter sisters, Fatima, Eva, and Nanetta, also appeared professionally on the operatic stage.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire