A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Birch, Charlotte

by William H. Husk

BIRCH, Charlotte Ann, soprano singer, born about 1815, was musically educated at the Royal Academy of Music and by Sir George Smart. She appeared in public about 1834, confining herself at first to minor concerts. In 1836 she was engaged by the Sacred Harmonic Society and soon took a good position as a concert singer. In 1838 she made her first appearance at the Three Choirs Festivals at Gloucester, and sung subsequently at Hereford in 1840 and 1846, at Gloucester in 1841, and at Worcester in 1842, and was engaged at the Birmingham Festival of 1840. In 1844 she visited Germany and sang at Leipzig and other places. She returned to England in 1845, but quitted it again at the end of the season for Italy, where she essayed operatic singing. She reappeared in England early in 1846. On Dec. 20, 1847, she appeared on the English stage at Drury Lane in Balfe's 'Maid of Honour,' but did not succeed in establishing herself as an operatic singer. About 1856 increasing deafness compelled her to abandon the public exercise of her profession. Miss Birch possessed a beautiful soprano voice, rich, clear, and mellow, and was a good musician, but her extremely cold and inanimate manner and want of dramatic feeling greatly marred the effect of her singing. Her younger sister, Eliza Ann, born about 1830, also a soprano singer and pupil of Sir George Smart, first appeared about 1844, and died March 26, 1857.

[ W. H. H. ]