Elizabeth Sandunova

Who is Elizabeth Sandunova?

Elizabeth S. Sandunova, was a Russian Empire stage actress and operatic mezzosoprano.

She was an opera student of Giovanni Paisiello and Vicente Martín-i-Soler, and an actor student of Ivan Dmitrevsky at the theatre school of Saint Petersburg. She debuted in 1790. She was considered not only to have a wonderful operatic voice, but also to be a talented dramatic actress.

In 1791, she married at the royal chapel in the presence of the empress Catherine the Great.

In 1794–1812, she was active in Moscow, where she made a huge success in a patriotic opera during the war of 1812. She returned to Saint Petersburg in 1813.