Nicolina Giordani
Nicolina Giordani (c.1740 – after 1775[1]), also known by the stage name La Signora Spiletta or La Spiletta, was an Italian opera singer.
A member of the Giordanis family from Naples,[1] she was the daughter of Antonia and Giuseppe Giordani, librettist and composer, and the sister of Francesco and Marina, both singers, and Tommaso, a composer and instrumentalist.[2] She performed in opera productions with her family's company in Northern Italy, Germany, Holland and France, before settling in London, where she was active between 1753 and 1774.[3][2] She became known by her stage name after a popular performance as the character from Gli Amanti Gelosi.[4] She was described by Thomas Gray as a singer "with the utmost justness of ear, the strongest expression of countenance, the most speaking eyes, the greatest vivacy [sic] & variety of gesture".[2] She also received praise by Horace Walpole, who wrote that she "beats all the actors and actresses I ever saw for vivacity and variety".[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Walsh, T. J. (1973). Opera in Dublin, 1705-1797: the social scene. A. Figgis. ISBN 978-0-900372-74-2.
- ^ a b c Highfill, Philip H.; Burnim, Kalman A.; Langhans, Edward A. (1978). A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Garrick to Gyngell. SIU Press. p. 218. ISBN 9780809308330.
- ^ "Giordani, Nicolina (fl. 1753–1774)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004-09-23. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/69632. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Sonneck, Oscar George Theodore (1922). The Musical Quarterly. G. Schirmer. pp. 408.
- ^ Stone, George Winchester (1981-01-01). The Stage and the Page: London's "whole Show" in the Eighteenth-century Theatre. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520042018.
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