MACFARREN, Natalia

Natalia Macfarren, ab 1883 Lady Macfarren, came from a family of musicians. Natalie grew up in a German-speaking household, until the age of 6 she lived in an English-speaking environment as well as in Quebec in a French-speaking environment. She possessed musical and linguistic talent by nature. At the age of 14, Natalie was added to the singing class of the Royal Academy of Music, which has also allowed women to study since its foundation in 1822. She taught privately to female students in 1868 and published the textbook Elementary Course for Vocalizing and Pronouncing the English Language. The following year she began to work as a translator of texts of musical works into English. At the end of the 1870s, she was one of the most distinguished and productive translators in the British music world.