Povla Frijsh was a Danish classical soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

 and voice teacher

Voice teacher

A voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who trains adults and children in the art of singing. This generally involves training in breath control and support, proper tone production, pitch control and musical intonation, proper formation of vowels and consonants as well as...

. She mainly sang in concerts and recitals; although she did make a few opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 appearances at the Paris Opera

Paris Opera

The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...

 and the Royal Danish Theatre

Royal Danish Theatre

The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...

. She was a champion of contemporary classical music, and was an important exponent of the works of Virgil Thomson

Virgil Thomson

Virgil Thomson was an American composer and critic. He was instrumental in the development of the "American Sound" in classical music...

, Randall Thompson

Randall Thompson

Randall Thompson was an American composer, particularly noted for his choral works.-Career:He attended Harvard University, became assistant professor of music and choir director at Wellesley College, and received a doctorate in music from the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music...

, Francis Poulenc

Francis Poulenc

Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...

, Rebecca Clarke

Rebecca Clarke

Rebecca Clarke may refer to:*Rebecca Helferich Clarke , English classical composer and violist*Rebecca Sophia Clarke , American author of children's fiction*Rebecca Clarke...

, and Samuel Barber

Samuel Barber

Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...

. After a 49 year long performance career, she retired from singing in 1947. Her notable pupils included Adele Addison

Adele Addison

Adele Addison is an African American lyric soprano who was an acclaimed figure in the classical music world during the 1950s and 1960s. Although she did appear in several operas, Addison spent most of her career performing in recital and concert...

, Jean Kraft

Jean Kraft

Jean Kraft is an American operatic mezzo-soprano. She began her career singing with the New York City Opera during the early 1960s, after which she embarked on a long and fruitful partnership with the Santa Fe Opera that lasted from 1965 through 1987. In 1970 she joined the roster of singers at...

, and Cornelius L. Reid

Cornelius L. Reid

Cornelius Lawrence Reid , was a well-known vocal pedagogue in New York City, specialist in the bel canto technique, and author of books on bel canto.- Life :Childhood...

.