A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Cuzzoni, Francesca
CUZZONI, Francesca, born at Parma,[1] or Modena,[2] about 1700,[3] received her first instruction from Lanzi, a noted master, and became one of the most famous singers of the last century. She made her début at Venice with Faustina, 1719, in M. A. Gasparini's 'Lamano,' being described as 'Virtuosa di Camera' of the Grand Duchess of Tuscany; and she appeared again with Faustina and Bernacchi in the 'Pentimento Generoso,' in the same year and at the same place. After singing on most of the principal stages of Italy she came to England. On her first arrival here she married Sandoni, a harpsichord-master and composer of some eminence.[4] Her first appearance in London was on Jan. 12, 1722, as Teofane in Handel's 'Otho.' Her singing of her first air, a slow one, 'Falsa immagine,' fixed her reputation. A story is told about this song which illustrates her character us well as that of Handel. At rehearsal she took a dislike to the air, and refused to sing it; whereupon Handel seized her by the waist, and swore he would throw her out of the window if she persisted. She gave way, and in that very song achieved one of her greatest triumphs. Success followed her in 'Coriolano,' in 'Flavio,' and in 'Farnace'; and she became a popular favourite.
In the following year she sang in 'Vespasiano' and 'Giulio Cesare.' Meanwhile Cuzzoni's popularity had diminished that of Durastanti, who left England, and had eclipsed that of poor Anastasia Robinson, who soon after retired. Cuzzoni continued her triumphal career in 'Calfurnia,' 'Tamerlane,' and 'Artaserse;' and in 'Rodelinda' (1725) she created one of her most successful parts, gaining great reputation by her tender singing of the song 'Ho perduto il caro sposo.' Fresh applause met her in 'Dario,' 'Elpidia,' 'Elisa,' 'Scipio,' and finally in 'Alessandro' (Handel), when she first encountered, on the English stage, the redoubtable Faustina. In this opera her style and that of her rival were skilfully contrasted by the composer; but the contest was the first of a series which did the Italian Opera much harm.
In 1727 she created a great effect in the song 'Sen vola' ('Admeto'), which displayed her warbling style; and an enthusiast in the gallery was so far carried away by the charm that he exclaimed, 'D— her! she has a nest of nightingales in her belly!' Her next part was in 'Astyanax.' The violence of party feeling had now become so great that, when the admirers of Cuzzoni applauded, those of Faustina hissed; and vice versa. This culminated during the performance of 'Astyanax,' when shrill and discordant noises were added to the uproar, in spite of the presence of the Princess Caroline. Lady Pembroke headed the Cuzzonists, and was lampooned in the following epigram[5]
Upon Lady Pembroke's promoting the cat-calls of Faustina
Old poets sing that beasts did dance
Whenever Orpheus play'd,
So to Faustina's charming voice
Wise Pembroke's asses bray'd.
Cuzzoni' s chief supporters, among the men, are commemorated in the following[6]
Epigram on the Miracles wrought by Cuzzoni.
Boast not how Orpheus charm'd the rocks,
And set a-dancing stones and stocks,
And tygers rage appeas'd;
All this Cuzzoni has surpass'd,
Sir Wilfred[7] seems to have a taste,
And Smith[8] and Gage[9] are pleas'd.
In 1728 Cuzzoni appeared in 'Siroe' and 'Tolomeo' with unabated success, in spite of the 'Beggar's Opera' and all these heart-burnings. At the close of the season, however,[10] the directors, troubled by the endless disputes of the rivals, decided to offer Faustina one guinea a year more than the salary of Cuzzoni. The latter had been persuaded to take a solemn oath that she would not accept less than her enemy, and so found herself unengaged. About this time[11] she yielded to the invitation of Count Kinsky, and went to Vienna. She sang at court with great éclat; but her arrogant demands prevented her from getting an engagement at the theatre.
At Venice she next sang at one theatre, while Faustina performed at another. In London again, a few years later (1734), she appeared in Porpora's 'Ariadne;' and, with Farinelli, Senesino, and Montagnana, in 'Artaserse' as Mandane, and also in other operas.
Hawkins says that she returned again in 1748, and sang in 'Mitridate;' but this is not recorded by Bumey, who puts her third visit in 1750, when she had a benefit concert (May 18). She was now old, poor, and almost voiceless. The concert was a failure, and she disappeared again. She then passed some time in Holland, where she soon fell into debt, and was thrown into prison. Gradually she paid her debts by occasional performances given by the permission of the governor of the prison, and returned to Bologna, where she was obliged to support herself by making buttons. She died there in extreme poverty and squalor in 1770.[12]
It was difficult to decide whether she excelled more in slow or in rapid airs. A 'native warble' enabled her to execute divisions with such facility as to conceal their difficulty. So grateful and touching was her natural tone that she rendered pathetic whatever she sang, when she had the opportunity to unfold the whole volume of her voice. Her power of conducting, sustaining, increasing, and diminishing her notes by minute degrees acquired for her, among professors, the credit of being a complete mistress of her art. Her shake was perfect: she had a creative fancy, and a command of tempo rubato. Her high notes were unrivalled in clearness and sweetness, and her intonation was so absolutely true that she seemed incapable of singing out of tune.[13] She had a compass of two octaves, C to c in alt. Her style was unaffected, simple, and sympathetic. As an actress she was cold, dressed badly, and her figure was short and ungraceful. Yet the fine ladies imitated the costume (brown silk, embroidered with silver) which she wore in 'Rodelinda,' and it became the rage! She was silly, fantastical, capricious, ungrateful, and extravagant: with all her charms she had many faults, by which she herself was the greatest sufferer, as is usual.
Her face was 'doughy and cross, but her complexion fine.'[14] There are no good portraits of her; but she figures in several of the caricatures of the time, and notably in Hogarth's 'Masquerades and Operas,' where she is the singer to whom the Earl of Peterborough is presenting £1000. Her portrait in Hawkins's 'History' is taken from a print by Vander Gucht after Seeman.[ J. M. ]