A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Wynne, Sarah

by Alexis Chitty

WYNNE, Sarah Edith, born March 11, 1842, at Holywell, Flintshire, was taught singing by Mrs. Scarisbrick of Liverpool, and by Pinsuti, at the Royal Academy of Music, where she was Westmorland Scholar, 1863–64. She was subsequently taught by Romani and Vannuccini at Florence. She first sang in the provinces, and made her début in London (St. James's Hall), at Mr. John Thomas's Welsh concert, July 4, 1862. She sang with great success in the following year at Henry Leslie's Welsh concert, Feb. 4, at the Crystal Palace, April 25, at Mr. Thomas's concert in his cantata 'Llewellyn,' June 29, and as the heroine on the production of Macfarren's 'Jessy Lea,' at the Gallery of Illustration, Nov. 2. Chorley was one of the first to draw attention to her talent. She became a great favourite at the above concerts, at the Philharmonic, the Sacred Harmonic, the Popular, Ballad, and other concerts, and later at the Handel and provincial Festivals, etc. She sang in the United States with the Pateys, Cummings, and Santley, in 1871–2, and at the Boston Festival of 1874. She played a few times in English opera at the Crystal Palace in 1869–71 as Arline, Maritana, Lady Edith (in Randegger's 'Rival Beauties'): but she was chiefly noted for her singing of songs and ballads, and was remarkable alike for her passionate expression and the simplicity of her pathos. Since her marriage with Mr. Aviet Agabeg, at the Savoy Chapel, Nov. 16, 1875, she has sung less frequently in public, but has devoted herself principally to giving instruction to young professional singers in oratorio and ballad singing.

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