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Angelica Catalani

Madame Catalani (1810)

Colour printed sketch

Portrait of Angelica Catalani

Born: 10 May 1780

Died: 12 June 1849

Years active: 1795-1827

Angelica Catalani was an Italian soprano opera singer.

She was born in Sinigaglia, Italy, where her father was a tradesman. At the age of 12, she was sent to the convent of Santa Lucia where she first discovered her voice. In 1795 she made her debut as the title role of Lodoiska by Mayr. She quickly rose to fame and enjoyed a successful career which lasted for nearly 30 years. She also worked as a singing teacher and one of her pupils was Laure Cinti-Damoreau.

Richard Dighton (1795-1880)

Madame Catalani in Semiramide (1806)

Printed etching of a drawing

Angelica Catalani in her first appearance in England in the opera Semiramide

“In Semiramide particularly she made an extraordinary impression, as it afforded room for the finest tragic action; and the music, trial as it was, gave full scope for the extraordinary perfection of her voice.”

 

George T. Ferris

Great Singers: First Series

1899

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Madame Catalani (1807)

Stipple engraving

Angelica Catalani as Argenide in the opera

Il Ritorno di Serse

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P0311%20Catalani_edited.jpg

Sangry

Madame Catalani

Engraving from an original painting

Portrait of Angelica Catalani

A Conte

Angelica Catalani

Lithograph

Portrait of Angelica Catalani

“It is recorded that at Bangor once she heard for the first time the strains of a Welsh harp, the player being a poor blind itinerant. The music sounding in the kitchen of the inn filled the world-renowned singer with an almost infantile glee, and, rushing in among the pots and pans, she danced as madly as if she had been bitten by the tarantula, till, all panting and breathless, she threw the harper two guineas, and said she had never heard anything which gave her more delight.”

 

George T. Ferris

Great Singers: First Series

1899

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