A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Thillon, Anna

by Alexis Chitty

THILLON, Anna, was born in 1819 in London. Her father's name was Hunt. At the age of fourteen she left England for France with her mother and sister, and received instruction from Bordogni, Tadolini, and M. Thillon, conductor of the Havre Philharmonic Society, whom she married at the early age of fifteen. She appeared at Havre, Clermont, and Nantes, with such success as to obtain an engagement at the Theatre de la Renaissance, Paris (Salle Ventadour), where she made her début Nov. 15, 1838, as the heroine, on the production of Grisar's 'Lady Melvil.' She was very popular in that and several new operas, as Argentine in 'L'Eau Merveilleuse,' Grisar; Demise in 'La Chasse Royale,' Godefroid; La chaste Suzanne, Monpou; etc. Her voice was a 'soprano sfogato' of marvellous timbre, from B♭ below the stave to E♭ in alt., and, combined with her personal charms, it obtained for her the favour of the public in a remarkable degree. In August 1840 she first appeared at the Opéra Comique as Mathilde in 'La Neige.' She next played Elizabeth in 'Lestocq,' and became a great favourite with Auber, who gave her instruction, and composed 'Les Diamans de la Couronne' (produced March 6, 1841) expressly for her. She also sustained the parts of Bianca di Molina and Casilda in his 'Due d'Olonne' and 'Part du Diable' on their production. Mme. Thillon also created Geraldine ('Les Puits d'Amour'), Balfe; Corilla ('Cagliostro'), Adam; Marquise de Gevres ('Sainte Cecile'); Montfort; and played Laurette on the revival of Grétry's 'Richard Cœur de Lion.' On May 2, 1844, she first appeared in public in England at the Princess's in the 'Crown Diamonds,' and met with extraordinary success, both on account of her voice, her charming acting and attractive manners; and the opera, then first produced in England, ran to the end of the season. She was also well received at the Philharmonic and other concerts. She afterwards appeared in England in 45 and 46 at Drury Lane, playing Stella in the 'Enchantress,' on its production May 14, 45, a part composed expressly for her by Balfe; in 46 at the Haymarket in 'Le Domino noir' and 'L'Eau merveilleuse'; and in 48 at the Princess's in 'La Fille du Regiment.' She also played at Brussels and in the French and English provinces, and from 51 to 54 in America, first introducing opera at San Francisco. She reappeared in 54 at Jullien's concerts, after which she was only heard at intervals, on account of a severe throat attack. Her last appearances in opera were in 1856 at the Lyceum as La Catarina. The performances ended abruptly on account of her illness. She was last heard in public at Kuhe's Festival of 1867. She and her husband now reside at Torquay.

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