Nadine Bulycheva frees enslaved women at her Rio de Janeiro benefit on 10 August 1886

The name of Nadezhda Vasilyevna Bulycheva (1858-1921), an Italian opera singer of Russian origin, is inscribed for ever in letters of gold on the pages of the world history of the struggle to abolish slavery.

On 10 August 1886 the Russian prima donna Nadine Bulycheva was singing the part of the Ethiopian slave Aida in Giuseppe Verdi's opera of the same name on the stage of the theatre in Rio de Janeiro, before a packed house that included the Emperor of Brazil with his family, the aristocracy, politicians and diplomats. It was the last concert of a brilliant season, the singer's benefit performance, dedicated to her incomparable success on the stages of South America.

Bulycheva came out on to the stage in the midst of the final ovations and interrupted them, apologising to the audience for distracting them from the music they had come to hear, and delivered a vivid speech against slavery, giving a sign to the orchestra. Music struck up, and female slaves began to come out from the wings. Nadine went up to each of them in turn, embraced and kissed her, and handed her the documents confirming her emancipation.

People in the hall leapt from their seats, applauded without end, wept, shouted, and threw flowers on to the stage and brought up jewels, diamond tiaras and souvenirs.

Even before her appearances began, Nadezhda Bulycheva had made it a condition with the organisers that slaves be bought with her fees. She also asked them to tell her admirers that she would rather receive money than costly gifts. The jewels presented to her after the performances she likewise asked to have sold. With all the proceeds slaves were bought on Bulycheva's behalf, and all of them received their freedom on the day her tour of Brazil came to an end.

Newspapers throughout the country sang the praises of the Russian singer's angelic nobility and the generosity of her heart: "When she embraced the slave women, we saw that she is our sister, a kindred soul, sympathetic and trembling. This is not a Russian singer, this is that very statue of Fraternity, showing that all peoples share the same misfortunes and the same greatness. ... The boundless expanses of Nadine Bulycheva's homeland taught her that only freedom is great. ... it is in the solidarity of misfortune that souls are joined for ever."