A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Piccolomini, Maria

by Alexis Chitty

PICCOLOMINI, Maria, born 1834 [App. p.749 "the date of birth is 1836, as given by Pougin, Paloschi, and Mendel"] at Siena, of the well-known Tuscan family. Being passionately fond of music she determined to become a public singer; and in spite of opposition from her family, studied under Signors Mazzarelli and Pietro Roniani [App. p.749 "Signora Mazzarelli and Signor Pietro Romani"], both of Florence, and made her début in 1852 at La Pergola as Lucrezia Borgia; she afterwards played at Rome, Siena, Bologna, etc., and in 1855 at the Carignan Theatre, Turin, as Violetta in 'La Traviata,' on its production there, and was highly successful. She made her début in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, May 24, 1856, in the same opera, then produced for the first time in England. She immediately became the fashion, partly on account of her charming little figure, and clever, realistic acting—especially in the last act, where she introduced a consumptive cough; and partly perhaps on account of the plot of the opera, which excited much indignation and a warm newspaper controversy.^[1] She next played Maria, in the Figlia, and Norma, with fair success. Whatever might be the merits of her acting, of her singing there were many adverse opinions; for instance, Chorley writes 'Her voice was weak and limited, a mezzo-soprano hardly one octave and a half in compass. She was not sure in her intonation, she had no execution.… Her best appearance was in La Traviata.' He admits that Mdlle. Piccolomini 'had the great gift of speaking Italian with a beautiful easy finished pronunciation such as few have possessed, and so for a while she prevailed where less appetizing pretenders to favour had failed.' She afterwards played at the Théâtre des Italiens, Paris. Mdlle. Piccolomini reappeared for the seasons of 1857 and 58 at Her Majesty's, and added Adina (L'Elisir) (described by Mr. Henry Morley^[2] as one of her best acted parts), Zerlina and Susanna of Mozart; Arline in the Italian version of 'The Bohemian Girl'; Lucia, in 'Luisa Miller,' on the production of that opera June 8, 1858; and 'La Serva Padrona' of Paisiello, July 5, 58.^[3] She then went to America, and made a great success. In 59 she played a short engagement at Drury Lane with diminished effect, and for a few nights in 60 at Her Majesty's, and took farewell of the stage April 33 [App. p.749 "April 30, the occasion was the second performance of the opera, which had been produced on the 26th of the month"], as Almina, in a new opera of that name by Campana, and in a duet from 'I Martiri' with Giuglini. Soon after this she married the Marchese Gaetani. She nevertheless returned to the stage for four nights in 1863, and generously gave her services in aid of the benefit organised at Drury Lane for her old manager Lumley, having travelled to England for that express purpose. [App. p.749 "In 1884 a testimonial was set on foot for the artist, who was reported to be in reduced circumstances. ('Daily News,' March 21, 1884.)"]

[ A. C. ]

1. This drama was formerly forbidden on the English stage; but Mme. Modjeska, the Polish actress, has played in a modified version of the same at the Court Theatre during the season of 1880 with very great success.
2. 'Recollections of an Old Playgoer.'
3. Having sung the music previously at Mr. Benedict's annual concert, June 21, at the same theatre.