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Victoria Balfe

1837 – 1871

French noblewoman and singer

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About Victoria Balfe

Lived 1837 – 1871 (aged 33). Victoria Balfe was a French opera singer.

Victoria Balfe (1 September 1835 or 1837 – 22 January 1871) was a French noblewoman and singer.

Balfe was also known as Victoire Crampton and Victoire Fernández de Velasco, duchess of Frías. She was the second daughter of the composer Michael William Balfe and his wife, the singer Lina Roser. She was born in the rue de la Victoire, Paris. Her father trained her as a singer, and she studied the piano at the Paris Conservatoire. She later studied in London, with Sterndale Bennett and Manuel García, and in Italy. She first appeared in London under Frederick Gye's management at the Lyceum Theatre on 28 May 1857, as Amina in La sonnambula.

On 31 March 1860, she was married to Sir John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton, 2nd Baronet, the British minister to Russia. The marriage was annulled on her petition on 20 November 1863 on grounds of impotence. In 1864, she married José Bernardin Fernández de Velasco, duke of Frías, a grandee of Spain.

On 2 January 1871, she died in Madrid. She was buried in Burgos Cathedral, leaving behind three children.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
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Also known as
Victoire Crampton, Victoire, Lady Crampton

People in Victoria Balfe's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Victoria Balfe's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Victoria Balfe?

French noblewoman and singer (1837–1871)

When was Victoria Balfe born?

Victoria Balfe was born on 1 September 1837 in Paris.

When did Victoria Balfe die?

Victoria Balfe died on 22 January 1871 in Madrid.

What was Victoria Balfe's occupation?

Victoria Balfe was an opera singer.

What nationality was Victoria Balfe?

Victoria Balfe was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Victoria Balfe

· Wikidata: Q7926575

· DBpedia: Victoria Balfe

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Victoria Balfe. https://biography.guide/victoria-balfe/

MLA: "Victoria Balfe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/victoria-balfe/.

Chicago: "Victoria Balfe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/victoria-balfe/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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