Teresa Carreno, also known as the Valkyrie of the Piano, was a renowned Venezuelan pianist, soprano, composer, and conductor. Born into a family of musicians, she began her training at a young age and made her professional debut in the USA at just eight years old. With a career spanning over five decades, Carreno became known for her exceptional talent and performed in countless concerts worldwide. Not only was she an accomplished pianist, but she also excelled as a soprano, composer, and conductor. In addition to her musical pursuits, Carreno was a dedicated teacher, nurturing her students with the same care and affection she showed her own children.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: María Teresa Gertrudis de Jesús Carreño García
- Died At Age: 63
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Arturo Tagliapietra (m. 1902–1917), Émile Sauret (m. 1873–1877), Eugen d’Albert, Giovanni Tagliapietra (dom. part. 1877–1889)
- Father: Manuel Antonio Carreño
- Mother: Clorinda García de Sena y Rodríguez del Toro
- Children: Emilita, Eugenia, Eugenia Harris-D’Albert, Hertha, Hertha Weber-D’Albert
- Born Country: Venezuela
- Pianists
- Composers
- Died on: June 12, 1917
- Place of death: New York City, New York, United States
- City: Caracas, Venezuela
Childhood & Early Life
Teresa Carreno was born as María Teresa Gertrudis de Jesús Carreño García on December 22, 1853 in Santiago de León de Caracas, Venezuela. Her father, Manuel Antonio Carreño Muñoz, was a renowned musician, educator, and diplomat, known for works like Manual of Urbanity and Good Manners. Her mother, Clorinda García de Sena y Rodríguez del Toro, was a relative of Simón Bolívar. Teresa was the second of her parents’ three surviving children, with an elder sister named María Emilia Gertrudis de Jesús and a younger brother named Manuel Antonio Alejo Ramón del Carmen. Two other siblings died in infancy.
Early Musical Education
At the age of six, Teresa had her first piano lessons from her father, who wrote 500 piano exercises for her. These exercises included scales, arpeggios, trills, thirds, and octaves, and she had to practice them every day in a different key. She also studied with German musician Julio Hohene. By 1861, at the age of eight, she was already composing short works for piano, including waltzes, mazurkas, dances, polkas, and capriccios.
Relocation to the United States
In 1862, due to the ongoing Federal War, Teresa’s family was forced to leave Venezuela. They traveled by sea and reached the United States in August 1862, eventually settling down in New York City. Shortly after their arrival, Teresa and her family met American pianist and composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, who became her first mentor.
Early Concerts and European Debut
At the age of eight, Teresa gave her first public recital in New York City, earning critical acclaim and much-needed cash for her family. She continued to give concerts across the northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, performing for President Lincoln at the White House in 1863. In 1865, she received an invitation from Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein to study with him in Paris. Her family accepted the offer, and they relocated to France in 1866. Teresa made her European debut in Paris at the age of thirteen and went on to tour England and other European countries.
Operatic Career and Return to the United States
In 1872, Teresa began her operatic career during a tour of England with James Henry Mapleson’s opera company. She sang the role of the queen in Les Huguenots after a backstage crisis in Edinburgh. She returned to the United States in September 1872 and started giving a series of concerts across the country. She also continued to upgrade her skills, studying singing with Mme. Rudersdorff. Teresa made her US operatic debut in New York City in 1876. She visited Venezuela in 1885 and 1887 but faced political unrest and returned to the United States.
International Success and Later Years
In 1889, Teresa left the United States to establish herself as a world-renowned concert pianist. She settled in Berlin and began her concert appearances across Europe. She returned to the United States in 1897 and continued to tour internationally. In her later years, she spent summers in Germany, giving lessons to her students and composing music. Teresa Carreno composed approximately seventy-five works, including piano compositions, vocal pieces, and chamber music. She passed away in 1917 and her ashes were repatriated to Caracas, Venezuela.
Personal Life & Legacy
Teresa Carreno was married four times and had several children. Her first husband was Émile Sauret, a French violinist and composer. She later entered into a common-law marriage with Giovanni Tagliapietra and had three children. She then married Eugen d’Albert and had two more children before divorcing him. Her final marriage was to Arturo Tagliapietra, Giovanni’s brother. Teresa Carreno’s legacy lives on through her music, and she is remembered as one of the most talented and influential pianists of her time.