Culture  /  Comparison

Jenny Lind, Taylor Swift, and Another Era's Tour

How the Taylor Swift of her age captivated New Orleans.

A talented young woman, possibly the most highly regarded musician of her generation, descends upon the city of New Orleans. Her concert tickets sell for exorbitant amounts, people travel from all over the region to attend, and locals clamor to get a glimpse of her. A mania for all things related to the star sweeps the city. Merchandise with her face and name, mostly unauthorized by her, is sold in shops far and wide. Everyone gets in on the craze, and the economic impact on the city is measured in the millions of dollars.

While this description certainly sounds like it could apply to Taylor Swift’s visit to New Orleans as a part of her Eras Tour, it actually references a much earlier star: the incomparable opera and concert singer Jenny Lind. The “Swedish Nightingale” graced New Orleans back in 1851 to huge anticipation and acclaim, drawing parallels with today’s tour juggernaut (Taylor’s Version).

The City Put Its Best Foot Forward

Just as city officials have worked to make the whole place shimmer for Taylor’s visit, the elite of New Orleans made sure the city impressed Jenny Lind. When Lind stepped off the steamboat on the Mississippi, she was greeted by a brand-new Jackson Square, recently renamed for the victorious Battle of New Orleans general. Completing the picturesque backdrop were a grand, newly-built cathedral, freshly-renovated Cabildo and Presbytère buildings, and the just-completed Pontalba apartment buildings. Several thousand city residents turned out to greet her, creating what the Daily Crescent described as “a very lively and animated scene.”

Lind’s accommodations within the Upper Pontalba Building were “furnished with uniform neatness and elegance.” Her quarters opened onto a balcony with French-imported iron railings, over which she waved her handkerchief to adoring fans. Her hostess, the Baroness de Pontalba, ensured that she wanted for nothing, even bringing in a Parisian chef to prepare her meals. Having no Superdome to fill, Lind performed at the elegant St. Charles Theatre, where many of the finest performers of the era also played. Lind originally planned to give twelve concerts while she was in town; in the end, she held 13.