Teresa Carreno

Maria Teresa Carreño (December 22 1853-June 12 1917) was a Venezuelan pianist, singer, and conductor. Born into a musical family, she was at first taught by her father and her talent was recognized at an early age. In 1862 her family immigrated to New York City, and she made her debute at Irving Hall that same year. In 1863 she performed for Abraham Lincoln at the White House.

In 1866 Teresa moved to Europe, and began touring, making her debute as an opera-singer in 1876. It wasn't until 1885 that she returned to Venezuela, and then only for a short period. In 1889 she returned to Europe for more touring, settling in Berlin as her home base. She mounted two world tours in the early years of the twentieth century, but her health deteriorated and she died in 1917, in New York City.

Teresa married four times.

• From 1873–1875 to violinist Emile Sauret by whom she had a daughter, Emilita.
• From 1876–1891 in a common-law union with Italian opera-singer Giovanni Tagliapietra, by whom she had two surviving children, Giovanni and Teresita.
• From 1892–1895 to pianist Eugen d'Albert, himself oft-married, and together they produced two more daughters, Eugenia and Hertha.
• From 1902–1917 to Arturo Tagliapietra, her former brother-in-law.