Hélène Sophie Emilie (Jelka*) Delius

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelka_Rosen

The granddaughter of the composer and pianist Ignaz Moscheles, Jelka Rosen was born in Belgrade and studied and practised art in Paris, exhibiting in the Salon des Indépendants. She met Delius in 1896 through a shared interest in Nietzsche. In 1897 he moved into her Grez-sur-Loing house, owned by her and her mother, and they married in 1903. She was heiress to a modest fortune from her distinguished Schleswig-Holstein family [1] and her wealth gave Delius financial security.

She remained devoted to Delius despite his affairs with other women. In the last twelve years of Delius's life, after he became blind and paralysed with third-stage syphilis, she gave up her work to be his carer. Towards the end, she herself became ill with bowel cancer, sending for Eric Fenby to manage the household during her convalescence from an operation, although she returned from a nursing home to be at Delius's side when he died. Delius had wished to buried in England, but as she was too ill to travel, he was temporarily buried at Grez.

A year later, having failed to recover fully, she contracted pneumonia during a Channel crossing to attend his reinterment in the churchyard of the Church of Saint Peter, Limpsfield, Surrey. Hospitalised in Dover, she was taken by ambulance to Kensington, London, where she died. She was subsequently buried with Delius: they share the same grave. Her estate funded a trust, managed by Sir Thomas Beecham, to promote the works of Delius.

She was portrayed by the British actress Maureen Pryor in the 1968 Ken Russell film Song of Summer.

Helena Sophie Emilie "Jelka" Delius (born Rosen; 1868 – May 28, 1935) was a painter, and wife of composer Frederick Delius. Contents [show] [edit]Life and work

The granddaughter of the composer and pianist Ignaz Moscheles, Jelka Rosen was born in Belgrade and studied and practised art in Paris, exhibiting in the Salon des Indépendants. She met Delius in 1896 through a shared interest in Nietzsche. In 1897 he moved into her Grez-sur-Loing house, owned by her and her mother, and they married in 1903. She was heiress to a modest fortune from her distinguished Schleswig-Holstein family[1] and her wealth gave Delius financial security. She remained devoted to Delius despite his affairs with other women. In the last twelve years of Delius's life, after he became blind and paralysed with third-stage syphilis, she gave up her work to be his carer. Towards the end, she herself became ill with bowel cancer, sending for Eric Fenby to manage the household during her convalescence from an operation, although she returned from a nursing home to be at Delius's side when he died. Delius had wished to buried in England, but as she was too ill to travel, he was temporarily buried at Grez. A year later, having failed to recover fully, she contracted pneumonia during a Channel crossing to attend his reinterment in the churchyard of the Church of Saint Peter, Limpsfield, Surrey. Hospitalised in Dover, she was taken by ambulance to Kensington, London, where she died. She was subsequently buried with Delius: they share the same grave. Her estate funded a trust, managed by Sir Thomas Beecham, to promote the works of Delius. She was portrayed by the British actress Maureen Pryor in the 1968 Ken Russell film Song of Summer.