A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Gerster, Etelka
GERSTER, Etelka, born 1856 at Kaschau, Hungary, received instruction in singing from Mme. Marchesi at Vienna, and made her début Jan. 8, 1876, at Venice as Gilda, with great success, and as Ophelia. She played next at Genoa and Marseilles, and in March 1877 at Kroll's Theatre, Berlin, with her sister, Mme. Bertha Gerster-Kauser, at an Italian season there under the direction of Signor Pietro Gardini, to whom she was married in the May following. She made a great success there, and subsequently at Pesth, and at the Silesian Festival at Breslau. On June 23 of the same year she made her début at Her Majesty's as Amina, and became an immediate favourite, remaining there for four seasons until 1880 inclusive. Her parts there included the Queen of Night, Elvira ('Puritani'), Linda, Dinorah, Lucia, Edith ('Talismano'), Margaret, Violetta, and Gilda. A propos of the last, the 'Saturday Review' of June 29, 1878, wrote that she has 'given a fresh proof of her extraordinary vocal and dramatic genius. The exquisite beauty of her singing has never been shown to greater advantage, and her acting at every moment reveals true art and feeling. Among fine touches in Mme. Gerster's dramatic performance, we may specially note her wrapping her head in a cloak before she rushes in at the fatal door in the last scene, that she may at least not see the descending knife.'
In the autumn of 1878 she went to America, and obtained her usual success both in opera and concerts. Returning to England she sang with success at the Birmingham Festival of 1879. She went back to America in the following year, singing there frequently until 1883. A concert tour in the States was begun in Nov. 1887.[ A. C. ]