Teresa Carreño (1853 - 1917)

Born in Venezuela, Teresa Carreño, pianist, composer, singer and teacher, spent most of her life in Europe and the United States. Musically there was little she could not do: her virtuosic piano technique and strength earned her the title The Walküre of the Piano; her operatic performances won critical acclaim; she was the cherished mentor of several outstanding talents; and she dared to compose in an era that was outwardly intolerant of women composers. She wrote mostly short pieces for the piano, most of which were written before her first marriage when she was only twenty.