Chavanne, born in Graz as a daughter of the retired Imperial-Royal Major Joseph Ludwig Edler von Chavanne (6 December 1806 in Olomouc - 25 October 1887 in Graz) from his second marriage in Graz on 5 July 1862 to Juliana Edlen von Krisch (20 January 1831 in Teschen – 23 March 1903 in Dresden), was actually supposed to become a pianist, but her piano teacher Wilhelm Mayer discovered her vocal gifts and advised her to study singing.