Born in
Stockholm, Ek studied with
Ellen Bergman and
Julius Günther at the
Royal College of Music, Stockholm from 1873 to 1878. She later received additional training from
Pauline Viardot in Paris. She made her professional opera debut at the
Royal Swedish Opera as Agathe in
Carl Maria von Weber's
Der Freischütz. Shortly after her debut, Ek was offered a long-term contract with the Royal Swedish Opera, and she was a member of that house up through 1890. She continued to appear at the house as a guest artist up through 1896. She sang a wide repertoire in Stockholm, portraying such roles as Desdemona in
Otello, Elisabeth in
Tannhäuser, Donna Elvira in
Don Giovanni, Eva in
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Juliette in
Roméo et Juliette,
Kristine Gyllenstierna in
Johann Gottlieb Naumann's
Gustaf Wasa, Philine in
Mignon, the Queen of the Night in
The Magic Flute, Reiza in
Oberon, Sieglinde in
Die Walküre, Valentine in the
Les Huguenots, and the title role in
Djamileh. In 1880 she notably sang the title role in
Aida for that opera's first performance in Sweden. Outside of Stockholm, Ek toured with the Royal Opera for performances in
Copenhagen and
Gothenburg in 1883. In 1890 she was committed to the
Kroll Opera House in Berlin. She was also active as a concert singer and recitalist in her native country and made a few concert appearances in Germany. Ek died in 1941 at the age of 84. In her will she left 100,000
Swedish kronor to start the "Operasångerska Selma Ek fond", an organization dedicated to supporting talented young opera singers. ==References==