Maria 'Maikki' Järnefelt-Palmgren (née Pakarinen; 1871—1929) was an internationally-recognised Finnish operatic soprano and singing pedagogue, who toured extensively around Europe.[1] She is especially known as a Wagnerian and Lied singer.[1][2][3]

Maikki Järnefelt
Background information
Birth nameMaria Pakarinen
Born(1871-08-26)26 August 1871
Joensuu, Grand Duchy of Finland
Died4 July 1929(1929-07-04) (aged 57)
Turku, Finland
GenresOpera

Maria Pakarinen's first marriage was to the composer and conductor, Prof. Armas Järnefelt (m. 1893 — div. 1908), with whom she had a child.[2] She later married the composer, conductor and pianist, Prof. Selim Palmgren (m. 1910 — her death 1929).[4][5] Both her husbands were also effectively her agents and managers.[2]

Her sister-in-law from her first marriage was Aino Sibelius (née Järnefelt), the wife of Jean Sibelius.[3]

She studied in Germany under Julius Hey [de], a renowned singing coach and personal friend of Richard Wagner.[3]

Järnefelt-Palmgren died relatively young, at 57: she suffered a stroke during the dress rehearsal of her husband's cantata, Turun Lilja, and died in hospital shortly afterwards.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Järnefelt-Palmgren, Maikki (1871 - 1929)" (in Finnish). National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Palmgren-festivaalilla Porissa nousee esiin oopperalaulaja Maikki Järnefelt-Palmgrenin värikäs elämäntarina" (in Finnish). Satakunnan Kansa. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Taiteilijapari Maikki ja Armas Järnefeltin rakkaustarinan katkera loppu" (in Finnish). Yle. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  4. ^ Kuka Kukin On (Who's Who) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Otava. 1954. p. 295. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Maikki Järnefelt (soprano)". MusicBrainz.org. Retrieved 13 February 2021.