User:Rich Farmbrough/DNB/E/m/Emma Romer
Emma, Afterwards Mrs. Almond Romer|1814|1868| Emma, afterwards Mrs. Almond Romer (born 1814 died 1868), vocalist, born in 1814, was the daughter of John Romer and his wife, Sarah Cooper. She was a pupil of James Elliot, and later of Sir George Smart. Her first theatrical appearance was announced at Covent Garden Theatre for 16 October 1830, when, as Clara in the 'Duenna', she exhibited a soprano voice of great volume and compass, together with considerable dramatic talent. But the faultiness of her voice-production, and failure in the technique of her art, checked her immediate progress. In 1834, however, after appearing at Covent Garden as Zerlina in 'Fra Diavolo' and Rosina in the 'Barber of Seville' (for her benefit), Miss Romer was engaged at the English Opera House (Lyceum), where she created the rôles of Eolia in Barnett's 'Mountain Sylph' and Zulima in Loder's 'Nourjahad'. In the winter she returned to Covent Garden, where, in 1835, as Amina in 'La Sonnambula', she reached the topmost round of the ladder of fame (Theatrical Observer). But she immediately afterwards declined a minor part, and threw up her Covent Garden engagement. Subsequently, as Agnes in 'Der Freischütz' and Liska in 'Der Vampyr' (Lyceum, 1835), she won much admiration. In September 1835 she married George Almond, an army contractor.
After her marriage Mrs. Almond appeared at Covent Garden as Esmeralda in 'Quasimodo', a pasticcio from the great masters. The death of Malibran in 1836 afforded her further opportunities, and she now filled the chief rôles in English and Italian opera at Drury Lane, appearing in 'Fair Rosamond' (1837), 'Maid of Artois', 'La Favorita', 'Robert le Diable', 'Bohemian Girl', 'Maritana', and many other pieces. In 1852 she undertook the management of the Surrey Theatre, where, during three seasons, she brought out a series of operas in English. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Almond retired from her profession, settling at Margate. She died there, aged 54, on 11 April 1868, and was buried in Brompton cemetery.
Her brother, Frank Romer, musical composer and member of a publishing firm, died in 1889. Her sister Helen (d. 1890) was wife of Mark Lemon Ann Romer (d. 1852), the vocalist, who married William Brough, was Emma Romer's first cousin.[DNB 1][DNB 2][DNB 3][DNB 4][DNB 5][1]
References
[edit]- ↑ [[Template:Cite DNB|vb=yes|author=Template:DNB LMM|title=Romer, Emma (DNB00)|work=Dictionary of National Biography|volume=49|pages=0|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Romer,_Emma_(DNB00)]]
DNB references
[edit]These references are found in the DNB article referred to above.
External links
[edit]date=August 2014 date=August 2014 [[Template:Person data |name=Romer, Emma, Afterwards Mrs. Almond |alternative names= |short description=vocalist |date of birth=1814 |place of birth= |date of death=1868 |place of death= ]]
NoCategory:1814 births NoCategory:1868 deaths date=August 2014