Giulia Grisi
Encyclopedia
Giulia Grisi, also known as Madame De Candia (May 22, 1811 in Milan, Italy – November 29, 1869 in Berlin, Germany) was an Italian
opera
singer. She performed widely in Europe, toured the United States
and was considered to be one of the leading soprano
s of the 19th century.
Grisi was related to the Royal House of Greece and she was the mate of Giovanni Matteo Mario a noble Lord (Cavaliere) of the Kingdom of Sardinia. She is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris – her last home where she resided with her man the Cavaliere Giovanni Mario de Candia. Her grave is marked with her title, Giulia de Candia.
, Giulia Grisi was the daughter of one of Napoleon Bonaparte
's Italian officers. She came from a musically gifted family, her maternal aunt Giuseppina Grassini
(1773–1850) being a favourite opera singer both on the continent and in London
. Her older sister, Giuditta
and her cousin Carlotta
were both artistes, too, the former as a singer and the latter as a ballet dancer. Giuditta was the creator of the pants-role of Romeo in Bellini
's I Capuleti e i Montecchi
.
Not surprisingly, Giulia was trained for a musical career, and she made her stage debut as Emma in Rossini's Zelmira in Bologna
in 1828. Rossini
and Bellini both took an interest in her, and at Milan she was the first to play the part of Adalgisa in Bellini's Norma
, in which the dramatic soprano Giuditta Pasta
took the title role.
Grisi appeared in Paris
in 1832, as Semiramide
in Rossini's opera, and had a great success; in 1834 she made her debut in London as Ninetta in La gazza ladra
; and, again in Paris, in 1835 she created the role of Elvira in Bellini's I puritani
at the Théâtre-Italien. In 1842, Donizetti wrote the parts of Norina and Ernesto in Don Pasquale
for Grisi and Giovanni Matteo De Candia, usually known by his stage-name of Mario
, who was to become the love of her life.
Her voice was described as a dramatic soprano
which, during her prime, was praised by music critics for its exceptional beauty, even-ness and smoothness. In total, her career spanned 30 years. She was a noted actress and, in London, she appeared regularly with such eminent singers as Luigi Lablache
, Giovanni Rubini and Antonio Tamburini
., not to mention Mario. Indeed, the prickly press commentator Henry Chorley praised her and Mario for their success in establishing Italian opera as an important component of the musical scene in London.
In 1854, she and Mario undertook a lucrative tour of the United States of America, where they were treated as major international celebrities.
Grisi had married Count Gérard de Melcy in 1836, but he refused her a divorce. They had six daughters. While living with Mario, Giulia and he maintained homes in Paris and London. Following their marriage, however, they returned to Italy and lived at the Villa Salviati in Florence, a property that Mario bought in 1849. Grisi wrote in her diary of the exciting times that they spent there with distinguished guests drawn from the opera world and the aristocracy, including her distant relatives from the royal houses of Greece and Russia and members of the Italian and British nobility.
During a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, while travelling with her family by train, she was involved in an accident, after crossing the border into Germany. She was taken to a hotel in Berlin, where under the care of Dr. Isabell, she spent her last days. She died on 29 November 1869. Her body was then taken by her husband to Paris, where she is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery
. Her tomb stands in front of Molière
's, marked by a plain white stone with the inscription "marquise Juliette de Candia".
One of her daughters with Mario, Cecilia Maria de Candia
, became a recognized writer. She married an English gentleman, Lord Pearse
and in 1910 published the book The Romance of a Great Singer.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer. She performed widely in Europe, toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was considered to be one of the leading soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
s of the 19th century.
Grisi was related to the Royal House of Greece and she was the mate of Giovanni Matteo Mario a noble Lord (Cavaliere) of the Kingdom of Sardinia. She is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris – her last home where she resided with her man the Cavaliere Giovanni Mario de Candia. Her grave is marked with her title, Giulia de Candia.
Biography
Born in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Giulia Grisi was the daughter of one of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's Italian officers. She came from a musically gifted family, her maternal aunt Giuseppina Grassini
Giuseppina Grassini
Giuseppina Maria Camilla Grassini was a noted Italian contralto, and a singing teacher...
(1773–1850) being a favourite opera singer both on the continent and in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Her older sister, Giuditta
Giuditta Grisi
Giuditta Grisi was an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano, sister of soprano Giulia Grisi and cousin of ballerina Carlotta Grisi....
and her cousin Carlotta
Carlotta Grisi
Carlotta Grisi, real name Caronne Adele Josephine Marie Grisi was an Italian ballet dancer born in Visinada, Istria . She was trained at the ballet school of Teatro alla Scala in Milan and later with dancer/balletmaster Jules Perrot...
were both artistes, too, the former as a singer and the latter as a ballet dancer. Giuditta was the creator of the pants-role of Romeo in Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini was an Italian opera composer. His greatest works are I Capuleti ed i Montecchi , La sonnambula , Norma , Beatrice di Tenda , and I puritani...
's I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi is an Italian opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini.The libretto by Felice Romani was a reworking of the story of Romeo and Juliet for an opera by Nicola Vaccai called Giulietta e Romeo. This was based on Italian sources rather than taken directly from Shakespeare...
.
Not surprisingly, Giulia was trained for a musical career, and she made her stage debut as Emma in Rossini's Zelmira in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
in 1828. Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
and Bellini both took an interest in her, and at Milan she was the first to play the part of Adalgisa in Bellini's Norma
Norma (opera)
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition...
, in which the dramatic soprano Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Angiola Maria Costanza Pasta , born in Saronno, Italy, was a soprano considered among the greatest of opera singers, to whom the 20th-century soprano Maria Callas was compared.-Studies and career:...
took the title role.
Grisi appeared in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1832, as Semiramide
Semiramide
Semiramide is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini.The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Babylon...
in Rossini's opera, and had a great success; in 1834 she made her debut in London as Ninetta in La gazza ladra
La gazza ladra
La gazza ladra is a melodramma or opera semiseria in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was by Giovanni Gherardini after La pie voleuse by JMT Badouin d'Aubigny and Louis-Charles Caigniez....
; and, again in Paris, in 1835 she created the role of Elvira in Bellini's I puritani
I puritani
I puritani is an opera in three acts by Vincenzo Bellini. It was his last opera. Its libretto is by Count Carlo Pepoli, based on Têtes rondes et Cavaliers by Jacques-François Ancelot and Joseph Xavier Saintine, which is in turn based on Walter Scott's novel Old Mortality. It was first produced at...
at the Théâtre-Italien. In 1842, Donizetti wrote the parts of Norina and Ernesto in Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The librettist Giovanni Ruffini wrote the Italian language libretto after Angelo Anelli's libretto for Stefano Pavesi's Ser Marcantonio ....
for Grisi and Giovanni Matteo De Candia, usually known by his stage-name of Mario
Mario (tenor)
Giovanni Matteo "Mario" was an Italian opera singer. The most celebrated tenor of his era, he was lionized by audiences in Paris and London.-Early life:...
, who was to become the love of her life.
Her voice was described as a dramatic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
which, during her prime, was praised by music critics for its exceptional beauty, even-ness and smoothness. In total, her career spanned 30 years. She was a noted actress and, in London, she appeared regularly with such eminent singers as Luigi Lablache
Luigi Lablache
Luigi Lablache was an Italian opera singer of French and Irish heritage. He was most noted for his comic performances, possessing a powerful and agile bass voice, a wide range, and adroit acting skills: Leporello in Don Giovanni was one of his signature roles.-Biography:Luigi Lablache was born in...
, Giovanni Rubini and Antonio Tamburini
Antonio Tamburini
Antonio Tamburini was an Italian operatic baritone.Born in Faenza, then part of the Papal States, Tamburini studied the orchestral horn with his father and voice with Aldobrando Rossi, before making his debut as a singer, aged 18, in La contessa di colle erbose . He went on to become one of the...
., not to mention Mario. Indeed, the prickly press commentator Henry Chorley praised her and Mario for their success in establishing Italian opera as an important component of the musical scene in London.
In 1854, she and Mario undertook a lucrative tour of the United States of America, where they were treated as major international celebrities.
Grisi had married Count Gérard de Melcy in 1836, but he refused her a divorce. They had six daughters. While living with Mario, Giulia and he maintained homes in Paris and London. Following their marriage, however, they returned to Italy and lived at the Villa Salviati in Florence, a property that Mario bought in 1849. Grisi wrote in her diary of the exciting times that they spent there with distinguished guests drawn from the opera world and the aristocracy, including her distant relatives from the royal houses of Greece and Russia and members of the Italian and British nobility.
During a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, while travelling with her family by train, she was involved in an accident, after crossing the border into Germany. She was taken to a hotel in Berlin, where under the care of Dr. Isabell, she spent her last days. She died on 29 November 1869. Her body was then taken by her husband to Paris, where she is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
. Her tomb stands in front of Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's, marked by a plain white stone with the inscription "marquise Juliette de Candia".
One of her daughters with Mario, Cecilia Maria de Candia
Cecilia Maria de Candia
Cecilia Maria de Candia , later Mrs Godfrey Pearse, was a British-Italian writer, amateur singer and society hostess. She was the daughter of two famous opera singers, Giulia Grisi and Giovanni Matteo de Candia—a marquise who sang under the popular name of Mario the tenor.In her childhood, she...
, became a recognized writer. She married an English gentleman, Lord Pearse
Pearse
Pearse is a surname, and may refer to:* Patrick Pearse , leader of the Irish Easter Rising in 1916* Barbara Pearse, British biological scientist* Charles Pearse, South African cricketer...
and in 1910 published the book The Romance of a Great Singer.