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Vol. 37, No. 2 Summer 2018 P.T. Barnum Brings Jenny Lind to America…Again by Katie Callam “The Jenny Lind mania still continues, of the New-York Daily Tribune, Barnum like a snow ball, which – crescit eundo – claimed that his true intent was to grows larger as it rolls.” – “Jenny Lind in expose the country to a magnificent the Metropolis,” The New York Herald, artist: September 5, 1850 “… I assure you that if I knew I should not realize a farthing profit, I would yet With the success of the recent movie ratify the engagement, so anxious am I musical The Greatest Showman (released that the United States shall be visited December 2017), interest in Swedish by a lady whose vocal powers have soprano Jenny Lind (1820-1887), “still never been approached by any other continues” today as it did in 1850. human being, and whose character Rebecca Ferguson (who, like Lind, was is charity, simplicity and goodness born in Stockholm) plays the opera star personified.” coaxed to the United States by the legendary showman P.T. Barnum, played Almost immediately, the publicity by Hugh Jackman. In a departure from Barnum generated began to feed off of the historical record, Ferguson’s Lind itself. “The all-absorbing topic in the falls for the married Barnum, setting up a saloon, the hotel, and the family circle is central conflict in the film. Though some the distinguished stranger [Lind],” noted reviews of The Greatest Showman one newspaper. When she arrived in New were tepid, audiences embraced the York for her first set of concerts, crowds upbeat, pop-heavy soundtrack and stampeded and concerts quickly sold family-friendly story. The movie-Lind’s out. Lind was the darling of the press, power ballad “Never Enough,” written by with her movements in any given city Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, claims many reported across the country. “Lind YouTube covers and was performed by mania” spread beyond the east coast contestants on the most recent seasons when she performed in cities including of NBC’s The Voice and ABC’s American New Orleans, Memphis, Madison, and Idol. Despite its popularity, the film might Cincinnati. leave viewers wondering: why has Lind’s star power endured to the present? And Historians have pointed to Lind’s how did she become a cultural impeccable reputation and charitable phenomenon in the first place? giving as factors in her mass appeal: she was a woman of the stage who In the U.S., the phenomenon began with nevertheless embodied her Christian Barnum. Following a ten-year career faith. During the eight months she toured singing leading roles in opera houses with Barnum, Lind reportedly donated across Europe, the so-called “Swedish upwards of ten thousand dollars to Nightingale” had retired in 1848. But the charities including the New York City Fire profit-minded showman convinced her Department Fund and several orphan to undertake an American concert tour. asylums. In a February 20, 1850 letter to the editor continued on page 2 Connecting Cultures and Community P.T. Barnum Brings Jenny Lind to America…Again continued from front cover Of course, Lind’s personality was only one purchased by or for young, white, middle- Note from factor: there was also her voice, with its class women to sing at home. Today, major wide range and beautiful tone in its high collections of “Lindiana” are held at the the Director register. By contrast, Lind’s musical number ASHM, the New-York Historical Society, and in The Greatest Showman, “Never Enough” Stanford University. Summer has a much different feeling (sung by Loren Allred), is in a lower range at the museum than the other seasons than would have been comfortable in Lind’s As Lind did not live into the era of recording of the year. In some respects, it seems voice and its musical style is very different technology, her voice can now only be heard quiet. We have fewer events on the from nineteenth-century opera repertory. where memory and imagination intersect: calendar, fewer school children on the After her first Boston concert, one paper did perhaps the unknowableness of her voice is premises, and most of the time, no new not even attempt to describe Lind’s voice: part of its allure. exhibitions opening. But it in actuality, “Vain – lunatic would it be – to attempt to it is not a quiet time at all, as we see an describe the qualities of Jenny Lind’s voice. Watching The Greatest Showman, we do not uptick in visitors on weekdays, and the The soul felt every trill of her melodious hear what nineteenth-century audiences utterance – the whole air seemed to vibrate would have heard. But we do, in a way, get a few events that we do have-Swedish with her sweet and astonishing eloquence.” taste of their experience. The film, writes the National Day, Midsommar, Smörgåsbeer Guardian’s Caspar Salmon, “though hokey and Crayfish are big celebrations! It is The memory of Lind’s tour – of her and trite at its core […] offers a genuine rush actually our busiest time of year for our personality and her voice – was kept alive in of spectacle and wonder.” With its help, we educational programs—it’s just that the decades after her 1852 return to Europe too can leave the theater excited by – they are off-site at libraries across our through both objects and music. The perhaps even humming – the songs tri-state area. And, of course, weddings, seemingly endless array of Lind-inspired we just experienced. weddings, weddings (37 between May knick-knacks produced in the 1850s have and October!). Behind the scenes, each lived on in museum collection: figurines, Katie Callam is completing her PhD in historical musicology at Harvard University. Her dissertation staff member is busy with something, cups and saucers, medals, cigar boxes, and glass bottles, to name but a few. Lind’s explores how music history was crafted during the early whether it is wrapping up the closing of twentieth century in the United States and includes a the fiscal year, planning for the next repertoire ended up in thousands upon thousands of parlors during the nineteenth chapter on the Jenny Lind centennial celebrations of 1920. series of exhibitions, or for putting plans century in the form of sheet music, often in place for the upcoming year’s programs and activities. accompanied by Julia Sjöstedt. An original As I reflect on the upcoming summer, I Hear the Work of piece written for Lind, entitled “Jenny Lind’s hear each activity as its own instrument Greeting to America” has been located at creating the rhythms and hum of a tune Jenny Lind Live: the University of Pennsylvania, in the Keffer punctuated by bursts of sound and joy, Collection of the Kislak Center at the moving in and out. Music is a language, The 2018 Jenny Lind Scholar, University Library. The 2018 Jenny Lind but the beauty of it is that you don’t have Kine Sandtrø Performs at Swedish scholarship winner, Kine Sandtrø to know the language in the technical Gloria Dei Church on has been asked to sing this as a part of her sense to understand and enjoy it! It June 8th, 2018 concert. Since the original Jenny sang at this speaks to our spirits, bypassing our church in 1850, it will be the first time this music has been heard in 168 years! minds. That’s why music is such an accessible way to bridge cultures, too. The June 8th concert at Old Swedes Church This summer’s newsletter, and several in South Philadelphia is a benefit for the of our summer activities revolve around Gloria Dei Historic Preservation Trust and music. I hope you will consider the Augustana Institute. Kine is a student at introducing some of your friends to the Royal School of Music in Stockholm and the museum this summer through the won a national contest to tour America. Her music. accompanist is Julia Sjöstedt who studies at the Academy of Music in Stockholm. Both young women will present a varied program of Nordic folk music and Opera arias in the near-perfect acoustics of Pennsylvania’s oldest church. See the calendar of events for ticket information. Tracey Beck The music of Jenny Lind will be brought back live and in person at a very special concert at Gloria Dei (Old Swede’s) Church on the evening on Friday, June 8th, with Norwegian soprano, Kine Sandtrø, as the 2018 Jenny Lind Scholar and will be 2 WinterSummer 2012-13 2018 || Vol.Vol. 30,37, No. 24 New on View A new painting was installed on the ASHM’s Lie’s paintings quickly drew attention, balcony in early May. Dr. Kirsten Jensen, a appearing in hundreds of shows and even in collector of Scandinavian art, loaned a the Oval Office during Franklin Roosevelt’s massive painting by Norwegian-American presidency. Despite Lie’s critical acclaim artist Jonas Lie. This painting, The Fleet, in America, Norway’s mountains and seas depicts a Norwegian fjord and fishing boats remained the artist’s greatest inspiration. in an ethereal, impressionistic style. Child of a Norwegian father and American Even while painting the coasts of New mother, Lie immigrated to the U.S. in 1893. England, Lie noted that “the keys and After several years of schooling, he began chords and harmonies of my work come designing calico shirts at a New York cotton from the North.” Lie’s paintings transport mill to support his family. Lie’s years at the viewers to ethereal memories of the artist’s cotton mill and intermittent lessons formed homeland.

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