Florence Ashton Marshall

“ Siface's voice, an 'artificial soprano,' was full and beautiful; his style of singing, broad, noble, and very expressive. Mancini extols his choir-singing as being remarkable for its excellence. In 1679 he was at Venice for the Carnival, acting with great success in the performances of Pallavicini's opera 'Nerone,' of which a description may be found in the 'Mercure galant' of the same year. ”

“ The fact of so ugly a man sustaining the part (transposed for tenor) of Don Giovanni, with success, shows what a spell he could cast over his audience.
After three successful years in Paris, Tacchinardi returned in 1814 to Italy, where he was appointed chief singer to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, with liberty to travel. He accordingly sang at Vienna, and afterwards, in Spain, distinguishing himself especially at Barcelona, although then 50 years old. After 1831 he left the stage, and lived at his country house near Florence. ”

“ She received her musical education from David Perez, at Lisbon. When, in her seventeenth year, she first appeared in public, she at once attracted notice by the beautiful, though somewhat veiled, quality of her voice. ”

“ RUBINELLI, Giovanni Battista, celebrated singer, born at Brescia in 1753, made his first appearance on the stage at the age of 18, at Stuttgart, in Sacchini's 'Calliroe.' For some years he was attached to the Duke of Würtemberg's chapel, but in 1774 he sang at Modena in Paisiello's 'Alessandro nelle Indie' and Anfossi's 'Demofoonte.' His success was very great ”

“ Est toujours celle qui chante.
Todi returned to Berlin in 1783, where she sang the part of Cleofide in 'Lucio Papirio.' The king wished her to remain, but she had already signed an engagement for St. Petersburg. There her performance of Sarti's 'Armida' was an immense success. She was overwhelmed with presents and favours by the Empress Catherine, between whom and the prima donna there sprang up a strange intimacy. ”

“ His style was grand, and truly dramatic, his execution neat and distinct, his taste and embellishments new, select, and masterly, and his articulation so pure and well accented that, in his recitatives, no one conversant in the Italian language ever had occasion to look at the book of the words while he was singing. ”

“ With the exception of six months in Russia, she remained at Berlin till 1789, achieving her greatest triumphs in Reichardt's 'Andromeda' and Neumann's 'Medea.' In March 1789 she reappeared in Paris, and among other things sang a scena composed for her by Cherubini, 'Sarete alfin contenti,' eliciting much enthusiasm. After a year's visit to Hanover she proceeded to Italy, and sang with great success. In 1792 she returned to Lisbon, where she died October 1, 1833. ”

“ The maestro, however, wrote across his letter, 'an active fellow requires no other recommendation than from one respectable family to another,' and gave it back to Schindler, who showed it to Schoberlechner, and, no doubt at his desire, again urged Beethoven to comply with the request. Beethoven however did not know Schoberlechner, and had no very high opinion of him, as he played chiefly bravura pieces, and pompously paraded all his titles and decorations, which gave occasion for many a sarcastic remark from Beethoven. ”

“ She was one of those useful people who are ready at a moment's notice to take almost any part, and up to 1791 was often recalled to strengthen a weak company. She remained constantly in England, and died here at last, in great poverty. ”

“ In April 1877 her illness increased to an alarming extent, and her last stage-appearance was on May 19, as Lucrezia. 'She fainted twice during the performance, in her dressing-room; but she would appear, though she had to undergo a painful operation on the following Tuesday. 'If I am to die,' she said to a friend, 'I will play Lucrezia once more.' Those who then heard her will always recall her rendering of the despairing cry after Gennaro's death. She died Oct. ”

“ After this he came to England, and Hawkins mentions him as pre-eminent among all the foreign singers of that period. He was for a time attached to James II.'s chapel, [1] but soon returned to Italy. In the second part of Playford's collection, 'Musick's Handmaid' (1689) , there is an air by Purcell, entitled 'Sefauchi's farewell,' which refers to Siface's departure from this country.
This great singer was robbed and murdered by his postilion, while travelling, some say from Genoa to Turin, others, from Bologna to Ferrara. ”

“ Petersburg he recommended himself to dall' Occa, a professor of singing, whose daughter he married in 1824. After travelling in Germany and Italy, the pair returned to St. Petersburg in 1827, where Mme. ”

“ He retained his appointment from the Grand Duke, but devoted himself chiefly to teaching, for which he became celebrated. He built a little private theatre in which to exercise his pupils, of whom the most notable were Mme. ”