Marie Fillunger
Encyclopedia
Marie Fillunger was an Austria
n singer.
Fillunger was born in Vienna
. She studied at the Vienna Conservatory from 1869-73. Then, on the recommendation of Johannes Brahms
she studied at the Hochschule in Berlin
in 1874. There she met Eugenie Schumann the same year. Eugenie was one of the daughters of Clara
and Robert Schumann
, and she and Fillunger became lovers.
Using the Schumann house as a base for a number of years, first in Berlin and then in Frankfurt
from 1878, she left for England
in January 1889 after a dispute with Marie Schumann. Eugenie was to join her in 1892 remaining there until 1912 when she joined her sister Marie in Switzerland. Fillunger would return to Vienna.
In England, Fillunger established herself as a highly regarded singer of lieder, particularly in the repertoire of Schubert and Brahms. She toured Australia
in 1891 and South Africa
in 1895 with Sir Charles Halle
, eventually joining the teaching staff of the Royal College of Music
in Manchester
from which she resigned before the outbreak of the First World War.
Marie Fillunger and Eugenie would be reunited in 1919 in Matten near Interlaken
in Switzerland
. Fillunger died in Interlaken. She is buried alongside Eugenie and Marie Schumann in the nearby village of Gsteig
. An obituary can be read in The Musical Times
, Vol. 72, No. 1056 (Feb. 1, 1931), pp. 175-176.
Her long relationship with Eugenie Schumann is discussed in a number of articles by German music historian Eva Rieger.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n singer.
Fillunger was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. She studied at the Vienna Conservatory from 1869-73. Then, on the recommendation of Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
she studied at the Hochschule in Berlin
Berlin University of the Arts
The Universität der Künste Berlin, UdK is a public art school in Berlin, Germany, one of the four universities in the city...
in 1874. There she met Eugenie Schumann the same year. Eugenie was one of the daughters of Clara
Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era...
and Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
, and she and Fillunger became lovers.
Using the Schumann house as a base for a number of years, first in Berlin and then in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
from 1878, she left for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in January 1889 after a dispute with Marie Schumann. Eugenie was to join her in 1892 remaining there until 1912 when she joined her sister Marie in Switzerland. Fillunger would return to Vienna.
In England, Fillunger established herself as a highly regarded singer of lieder, particularly in the repertoire of Schubert and Brahms. She toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1891 and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1895 with Sir Charles Halle
Charles Hallé
Sir Charles Hallé was an Anglo-German pianist and conductor, and founder of The Hallé orchestra in 1858.-Life:Hallé was born in Hagen, Westphalia, Germany who after settling in England changed his name from Karl Halle...
, eventually joining the teaching staff of the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
from which she resigned before the outbreak of the First World War.
Marie Fillunger and Eugenie would be reunited in 1919 in Matten near Interlaken
Interlaken
Interlaken is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland.-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Fillunger died in Interlaken. She is buried alongside Eugenie and Marie Schumann in the nearby village of Gsteig
Gsteig
Gsteig may refer to:*Gsteig, Germany in Ostallgäu, Bavaria*Gsteig bei Gstaad, a municipality in the district Saanen, Canton of Berne, Switzerland*The church Gsteig bei Interlaken...
. An obituary can be read in The Musical Times
The Musical Times
The Musical Times is an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom. It is currently the oldest such journal that is still publishing in the UK, having been published continuously since 1844. It was published as The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular until...
, Vol. 72, No. 1056 (Feb. 1, 1931), pp. 175-176.
Her long relationship with Eugenie Schumann is discussed in a number of articles by German music historian Eva Rieger.