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

Madame Catalani (1807)
Stipple engraving
Angelica Catalani as Argenide in the opera
Il Ritorno di Serse


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