Teresa Milanollo

The Italian violin virtuoso Teresa Milanollo (1827-1904) began studying the violin at the age of four. In 1837, she was taken to Paris for further study by her father, a carpenter. She made her début at the Paris Academy on 18 April 1841, aged fourteen, and immediately captured the attention and the enthusiastic support of Hector Berlioz.

A great success, she toured extensively in England and throughout Europe, playing to packed houses. She later appeared with her violinist sister, Maria, after whose early death in 1848 she temporarily retired. She retired for good after her marriage to the military engineer Charles Parmentier.

Among her compositions are works for the violin.

Photographed by Disdéri of Paris.