Esther de Carvalho
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20 August 1858
Esther de Carvalho | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Esther Amélia da Costa Coutinho da Silva Carvalho 20 August 1858 Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal |
| Died | 15 January 1884 Aged 25 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Resting place | São João Baptista Cemetery, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 5 |
| Known for | Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro theatre |
Esther de Carvalho (1858 – 1884) was a controversial Portuguese actress and opera singer who also became well-known in Brazil, where she died a young death.
Esther Amélia da Costa Coutinho da Silva Carvalho was born on 20 August 1858 in Montemor-o-Velho in the Coimbra District of Portugal. Her father was a trained lawyer who also acted in amateur dramatics. She was educated in nearby Figueira da Foz, where she became a singer and pianist, performing at local clubs. She briefly considered being a teacher but was too easy-going for such a task and was also attracted by the applause she received for her performances. At the age of 21 she decided to leave home and go to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, with the intention of becoming an actor.[1][2][3]
Early career
Carvalho was immediately hired in Lisbon by the Teatro da Trindade and her debut took place on 31 March 1880 in an operetta called O Cão de Malaquias. Her performance was a huge success. The newspaper reviews were similarly positive, as they were for the operettas that followed while she was at the Trindade. However, despite her success with the public, criticisms were made about the way she behaved as a professional. The impresario, Francisco Palha, director of the Trindade theatre company, fined her numerous times and criticised her often. She avoided rehearsals, missed shows and insulted her colleagues. Her incompatibility with the Trindade company, and vice versa, got to the point that she decided to leave the country.[1][2][3]
