Elma Ström was born in Bro in Uppland as the daughter of a farmer, and was raised in the home of a relative, the parish vicar Ekström on Mörkö. Ekström socialized with the local aristocracy and Elma Ström entertained his guests with singing. She attracted attention for her ability as a singer, and it was suggested that she perform for an expert. In 1836, she was accepted as a student in the operatic class of the Dramatens elevskola after having demonstrated her ability as a singer to Isak Albert Berg. She was lodged in the pension of Kristina Fundin, mother ofWilhelmina Fundin, and friend of her fellow student Jenny Lind. One anecdote is mentioned, when Elma Ström and Jenny Lind left the Fundin's, from which the students where normally not allowed to leave without permission, to travel around the whole city in a carriage.
Career
Elma Ström made her debut at the Royal Swedish Opera in 1841, was contracted in 1843, and engaged at the Royal Opera in 1843-1851. Among her most known parts where that of Agathe in Friskytten. She was described as a beautiful singer with a great soprano, but her career was short and given as an example of a great talent destroyed by to high expectations. Because she was regarded as the perhaps most promising talent after the departure of Henriette Widerberg and Jenny Lind, great pressure was put upon her by the management to replace them, expectations which was placed upon her before her voice was fully trained, which resulted in her voice being cracked of the pressure and her career ending before she had the full chance to develop it. She was replaced at the Royal Opera by Mathilda Ebeling and Julie Berwald. After having departed from the opera in 1851, she was active as a stage actress for a few years, but did not achieve enough success to be given a contract. Elma Ström marriedthe artistLars Theodor Billing in 1846 and became the mother of the painter Anna Billing.
Critics
A contemporary paper wrote about her: August Blanche wrote about her: In the 1850s, the journalist and critic Nils Arfwidsson described her in retrospect as: Oscar Wijkander composed a sonnet dedicated to her.
