A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Gallia, Maria

by Julian Marshall

GALLIA, Maria, incorrectly called Maria Margherita by Burney, was a sister of Margherita de l'Epine, and pupil of Nicolo Haym. She appeared for the first time at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in 1703. She sang in 1706 and 8 in 'Camilla,' in the libretti of which she is called Joanna Maria. In the former year she also performed the principal rôle in the 'Temple of Love' by Saggione^[1], to whom she was then married. Documents (in the possession of the present writer), signed by this composer, and by his wife as Maria Gallia Saggione, show that they received respectively £150 and £700 for a season of nine months,—large sums at that early date. Gallia appeared in Clayton's 'Rosamond' at its production in 1707. She sang songs also at the Haymarket Theatre 'in Italian and English,' to strengthen the attraction (Daily Courant). At this time she must have been very young, for we find her singing in 'Alexander Balus,' 'Joshua,' &c. in 1748; unless, indeed, her name is incorrectly put for that of Galli.

[ J. M. ]

1. Erroneously attributed to Greber by Burney.