A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Strada del Pò, Anna

by George Grove

STRADA DEL PÒ, Anna. An Italian soprano, brought from Italy by Handel in 1729, with Bernacchi, Merighi, Fabri, and others, for the opera in the Haymarket. She appeared there in 'Lotario,' Dec. 2, 1729; in 'Partenope,' Feb. 24, 1730; 'Poro,' Feb. 2, 1731; 'Ezio,' Jan. 15, 1732; 'Sosarme' (originally 'Alfonso Primo'), Feb. 19, 1732—including the lullaby, 'Rend' il sereno,' for Strada, afterwards so well known in an English dress as 'Lord, remember David'; in 'Acis and Galatea,' June 10, 1732; and in 'Orlando,' Jan. 23, 1733. She was the only one of Handel's company who did not desert him for the rival new opera in Lincoln's Inn in the end of 1733, and she remained faithful to him till her departure from this country in June 1738, when a quarrel with Heidegger, the manager, put an end to her connexion with England. In the interval between 1733 and the last-named date she took part in Handel's 'Ariodante,' 'Alcina,' 'Atalanta,' 'Arminio,' 'Giustino,' 'Berenice'; also in 'Athaliah' and 'Alexander's Feast.'

Even on her arrival, though, according to Handel,^[1] 'a coarse singer with a fine voice,' Strada must have had some brilliant execution, for the first air which she sang on those boards contains no less than thirty opportunities to display her shake. Coming after Cuzzoni and Faustina, and having so little to recommend her to the eye that she was nicknamed 'the pig,' it took her some time to get into favour. But Handel took pains with her, wrote for her, and advised her, and at length rendered her equal to the first singers of the Continent.

[ G. ]

1. Burney's History. iv. 342. The above information is compiled from the same volume, 339–427.