Eva Nansen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eva Nansen
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Fridtjof Nansen and Eva Nansen in fall 1889
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Eva Helene Sars
17 December 1858 Christiania (now Oslo), Norway
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| Died | 9 December 1907 (aged 48) Lysaker, Norway
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| Occupation | Opera singer |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 5, including Odd Nansen |
| Parent(s) | Michael Sars Maren Welhaven |
| Relatives | Ernst Sars (brother) Georg Ossian Sars (brother) Johan Sebastian Welhaven (uncle) Elisabeth Welhaven (aunt) Hjalmar Welhaven (cousin) Kristian Welhaven (cousin) Axel Revold (son-in-law) Marit Greve (granddaughter) Eigil Nansen (grandson) Dagny Hald (granddaughter) |
Eva Helene Nansen (born Sars; 17 December 1858 – 9 December 1907) was a famous Norwegian singer. She was known for her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice. Eva was also a trailblazer for women in skiing, helping to make it a sport for everyone.
Her Early Life and Family
Eva Sars was born in Christiania, which is now called Oslo, Norway. Her father, Michael Sars, was a priest and a professor who studied animals. Her mother, Maren Sars, was also well-known. Eva had two famous brothers: Georg Ossian Sars, who was a biologist, and Ernst Sars, who was a historian. Her family was very intellectual and artistic.
In September 1889, Eva married Fridtjof Nansen. He was a famous explorer who traveled to the North and South Poles. Later, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping refugees around the world. Eva and Fridtjof had five children together, including Odd Nansen, who became a notable architect. Eva Nansen passed away from pneumonia in Lysaker on 9 December 1907.
Her Singing Career
Eva Sars studied singing for five years with her sister Mally and her brother-in-law, Thorvald Lammers. Thorvald was a baritone singer and a composer. Eva first performed as an opera singer in 1881. This was at the Musikforeningen, which later became the Oslo Philharmonic orchestra.
She continued her studies in Berlin in 1886 and 1887 with a teacher named Désirée Artôt. Eva became very good at singing a type of song called a romance. She gave her first public concert as a mezzo-soprano romance singer in 1886. Between 1880 and 1900, she performed in many concerts both in Norway and other countries.
Eva's opera performances included "Elsa's Dream" from Wagner's opera Lohengrin. She also sang "Gretchen" in Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust. Her concert tours in Scandinavia with pianist Erika Lie Nissen were very popular. Many people thought she was one of Norway's best romance singers. Her last public concert was in December 1899. At this concert, she sang the new Haugtussa song cycle. This music was composed by Edvard Grieg based on poems by Arne Garborg.
Eva also shared her musical talents at her mother's home. Before 1898, her mother's house was a popular meeting place for thinkers and artists. It was known as "Christiania's first salon", where people discussed ideas.
A Pioneer in Skiing
Eva Sars (Nansen) was a very skilled skier. She and Cecilie Thoresen Krog were noticed as the only girls at the Husebyrennet ski jumping event. They arrived there on their skis, which was very unusual for women at the time.
Later, Eva played a big part in helping women get the right to join winter sports. She believed women should be able to ski just like men. In Easter 1892, she likely became the first woman to ski across the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. She did this challenging trip with her husband, Fridtjof Nansen. For this journey, she wore a special ski outfit that was quite daring for the time. Her skirt only went a little below her knees. Fridtjof Nansen designed this outfit, and Eva made it herself.
In March 1893, Eva wrote an article called Skiløbningen for the newspaper Verdens Gang. In this article, she argued against people who thought it was wrong for women to ski. She helped change ideas about women in sports.
