Alexandra Ahnger

Alexandra Ahnger was born in Kuopio to Colonel Oscar Ahnger, who later became the Chief of Police of Viipuri, and Alexandrine von Koberwein. She received her education at the in St Petersburg, after which she studied singing in the Helsinki Institute of Music (later Helsinki Conservatory, now part of Sibelius Academy) from 1882 to 1885. She followed this with further studies in Europe, first in Dresden (1885–1888) under Eugen and Anna Hildach, who subsequently also visited Finland to give a joint concert together with Ahnger, and later in Paris where she on occasions between 1890 and 1906 received instruction from Désirée Artôt and Eugénie Vergin (aka. Élise Colonne), among others. She also made a study trip to Milan in 1924. ==Career==

Singer Ahnger's operatic repertoire especially comprised Finnish contemporary opera, including the roles of Louhi in Merikanto's Maiden of the North, Taina in Melartin's Aino, and Katri in '''' by Selim Palmgren. Ahnger performed as soloist in many oratorios and choral works, especially ones conducted by Robert Kajanus; these included most notably Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Missa solemnis, Schumann's Paradise and the Peri, and Liszt's Christus. Teacher Alongside her singing career, Ahnger also began teaching singing privately as early as 1888, as well as holding positions as music teacher in various Helsinki schools. She was later appointed teacher of voice at the Helsinki Institute of Music, where she served for over twenty years, from 1906 to 1927. Due to that role especially, she is considered one of the leading Finnish singing pedagogues of the early 20th century. ==References==