Juch, Emma Johanna Antonia

1863

Operatic soprano; born in Vienna. Her father, an inventor, artist and musician, was a native of Vienna but a naturalized American; and her mother possessed a fine voice. When Emma was two years old the family returned to the United States and settled in New York. She studied with Mme. Murio-Celli and made her debut with great success at a concert in Chickering Hall. Her voice developed remarkable flexibility, clearness and power. In 1881 she was engaged at the Grand Italian Opera in London, where she made a triumphant debut in the role of Felina in Mignon. For three seasons she played there and then joined Nilsson, Materna, Scaria and Winkelmann in Wagner repertory, under the management of Theodore Thomas, and on the founding of the American Opera Company was engaged in it. After its failure she appeared in festivals and concerts of the Philharmonic Societies of various cities. She also played in her own English Opera Company. In 1894 she married Francis S. Wellman and now lives in New York and Bar Harbor. While on the stage she appeared as Violetta in Traviata, Queen of Night in the Magic Flute, Martha, Marguerite, the Queen in Les Huguenots, Isabella in Robert le Diable, Elsa in Lohengrin, and others.