A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schröter, Corona
SCHRÖTER, Corona Elisabeth Wilhelmine, a celebrated singer of the Weimar court in its most brilliant days, was the daughter of a musician, Johann Friedrich Schröter. According to her latest biographer, Keil (Vor hundert Jahren, Leipzig, 1875), Corona was born Jan. 14, 1751, at Guben, whence the family shortly afterwards migrated to Warsaw and finally to Leipzig. Corona's voice was trained by her father, and she sang when she was but 14 at a Leipzig Grosses Concert (1765). From the following year until 1771 she was engaged at these concerts, Schmehling (La Mara) being retained as principal vocalist. Goethe had become acquainted with Schröter in 1766; ten years later he conveyed to her the offer of the post of Kammersängerin to the Dowager Duchess of Weimar. Here she made her first appearance Nov. 23, 1776, and soon became the idol of the place. Associated with Goethe himself in the production of his dramas, she created amongst others the part of Iphigenia, completely realizing the poet's ideal (see Auf Mieding's Tod). Her co-operation in 'Die Fischerin' included the composition of all the music. It was on July 22, 1782, that she was heard as Dortchen, and that 'Der Erlkönig,' with which the play opens, was sung for the first time. After 1786 Schröter sang little in public, but devoted herself to composition, painting, and a few dramatic pupils. Schiller heard her read Goethe's Iphigenia in 1787, and Charlotte von Schiller, a year or two later, found much to praise in the musical settings of 'Der Taucher' and 'Würde der Frauen,' and their expressive rendering by the famous artist. In the meantime Schröter's health had broken down, and her death, when aged 51, at Ilmenau, Aug. 23, 1802, was not unexpected.
Her songs were published in two books. They are melodious and simple settings of poems by Herder, Matthison, Klopstock, etc. Book I. (25 Lieder, Weimar, 1786) contains Goethe's 'Der neue Amadis' and 'Der Erlkönig.' The list of subscribers furnishes the names of many notabilities of the day connected with Weimar and other German Courts. The second collection of songs was published at Weimar, 1794.
Corona's brothers, Johann Samuel (vocalist) and Johann Heinrich Schröter (violinist) visited England; the former died here in 1788. Besides the life by Keil, Düntzer's 'Charlotte von Stein and Corona Schröter' may be consulted for details of her social and artistic successes. In 1778 Schröter handed to Goethe her MS. autobiography, which has never been made public, perhaps has not yet been discovered among his papers, although Goethe noted the receipt of it in his diary.