This Week in Classical Music: October 26, 2020.Singers of the past.Two Italian singers, Giuditta Pasta, possibly the greatest soprano of the first half of the 19th century, and a legendary contralto castrato and Handel’s favorite, Senesino, were born this week.Giuditta Pasta wasborn in Saronno, near Milan, on October 26th of 1797.She made her debut in Milan at the age of 19, and soon after appeared in Paris’s Théâtre Italien; she sung Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and several contemporary Italian operas.Her greatest Paris triumph was the role of Desdemona in Rossini’s Otello; she later repeated that success in London.She was Rossini’s favorite singer, making his operas Tancredi and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra famous around Europe.Both Donizetti and Bellini wrote their greatest operas for Pasta: she premiered as Imogene in Il pirate, Amina in La sonnambula and Norma for Bellini; and for Donizetti she sung the title roles in Anna Bolena and Ugo, conte di Parigi.Stendhal was mad about Pasta and encouraged other composers to write for her.Pasta’s voice was what is known as soprano sfogato, naturally a mezzo-soprano which extends into the coloratura soprano range.Maria Callas’s voice was also soprano sfogato, that’s one reason musicologists often compare the two.The painting above was made by the 19th century Russian artist Karl Bryullov, who lived for years in Italy and painted portraits of many famous singers of the time.
Senesino was born Francesco Bernardi on October 31st of 1686 in Siena.He was castrated late, at the age of 13.Senesino started his career in Venice in 1707 and soon was singing in all major opera houses of Italy – in Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples.By 1717 he was internationally famous, commanding large fees.In 1720 Handel hired him for his Royal Academy opera company for an enormous sum of 3,000 guineas a year (that’s £3,150; according to the Old Baily site, at that time “the First Lord of the Treasury enjoyed an annual salary of £4,000”).Senesino’s first performance in London was Giovanni Bononcini’s opera Astarto; it was a great success.Much success followed: he performed in all 32 operas produced by the company. These included 13 operas by Handel and eight by Bononcini.Senesino stayed with the company till it closed in 1728.He then left for Siena, where he built a fine house.Even though Handel and Senseino quarreled quite often, in 1730 the composer hired Senesino again for the resurrected (Second) Academy, this time for “only” 1,400 guineas a year.Apparently Senesino’s popularity didn’t diminish, though the relationship between him and Handel got worse and eventually Senesino quit the Royal Academy and, with the financial help of wealthy music lovers, created a new company, the Opera of the Nobility.Senesino, Farinelli and the soprano Francesca Cuzzoni were the lead singers, while Nicola Porpora – their chief composer.He stayed with the company till 1736.Senesino then moved to Italy; his last performances were in Porpora’s Il trionfo di Camilla at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in 1740.Senesino died on January 27th of 1759.According to contemporary music critics, his voice was powerful and clear, with great diction and intonation.As a contralto he was unsurpassed; many Londoners preferred him to Farinelli.Handel composed 17 roles for him.But age wasn’t kind to Senesino: Horace Walpole, the English writer and art historian, met him late in his life, as Senesino was returning to Siena in a chaise: “We thought it a fat old woman; but it spoke in a shrill little pipe, and proved itself to be Senesini.”
Giuditta Pasta and Senesino, 2020
This Week in Classical Music: October 26, 2020. Singers of the past. Two Italian singers, Giuditta Pasta, possibly the greatest soprano of the first half of the 19th century, and a legendary contralto castrato and Handel’s favorite, Senesino, were born this week. Giuditta Pasta was born
in Saronno, near Milan, on October 26th of 1797. She made her debut in Milan at the age of 19, and soon after appeared in Paris’s Théâtre Italien; she sung Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and several contemporary Italian operas. Her greatest Paris triumph was the role of Desdemona in Rossini’s Otello; she later repeated that success in London. She was Rossini’s favorite singer, making his operas Tancredi and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra famous around Europe. Both Donizetti and Bellini wrote their greatest operas for Pasta: she premiered as Imogene in Il pirate, Amina in La sonnambula and Norma for Bellini; and for Donizetti she sung the title roles in Anna Bolena and Ugo, conte di Parigi. Stendhal was mad about Pasta and encouraged other composers to write for her. Pasta’s voice was what is known as soprano sfogato, naturally a mezzo-soprano which extends into the coloratura soprano range. Maria Callas’s voice was also soprano sfogato, that’s one reason musicologists often compare the two. The painting above was made by the 19th century Russian artist Karl Bryullov, who lived for years in Italy and painted portraits of many famous singers of the time.
Senesino was born Francesco Bernardi on October 31st of 1686 in Siena. He was castrated late, at the age of 13. Senesino started his career in Venice in 1707 and soon was singing in all major opera houses of Italy – in Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples. By 1717 he was internationally famous, commanding large fees. In 1720 Handel hired him for his Royal Academy opera company for an enormous sum of 3,000 guineas a year (that’s £3,150; according to the Old Baily site, at that time “the First Lord of the Treasury enjoyed an annual salary of £4,000”). Senesino’s first performance in London was Giovanni Bononcini’s opera Astarto; it was a great success. Much success followed: he performed in all 32 operas produced by the company. These included 13 operas by Handel and eight by Bononcini. Senesino stayed with the company till it closed in 1728. He then left for Siena, where he built a fine house. Even though Handel and Senseino quarreled quite often, in 1730 the composer hired Senesino again for the resurrected (Second) Academy, this time for “only” 1,400 guineas a year. Apparently Senesino’s popularity didn’t diminish, though the relationship between him and Handel got worse and eventually Senesino quit the Royal Academy and, with the financial help of wealthy music lovers, created a new company, the Opera of the Nobility. Senesino, Farinelli and the soprano Francesca Cuzzoni were the lead singers, while Nicola Porpora – their chief composer. He stayed with the company till 1736. Senesino then moved to Italy; his last performances were in Porpora’s Il trionfo di Camilla at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in 1740. Senesino died on January 27th of 1759. According to contemporary music critics, his voice was powerful and clear, with great diction and intonation. As a contralto he was unsurpassed; many Londoners preferred him to Farinelli. Handel composed 17 roles for him. But age wasn’t kind to Senesino: Horace Walpole, the English writer and art historian, met him late in his life, as Senesino was returning to Siena in a chaise: “We thought it a fat old woman; but it spoke in a shrill little pipe, and proved itself to be Senesini.”