Cecilia Grassi
Cecilia Grassi (* around 1740 in Naples , † February 2, 1791 in London ) was an Italian singer and the wife of Johann Christian Bach .
Life
Their earliest verifiable appearance took place in 1760 at the Teatro di S Salvatore in Venice . She sang in Venice, Bologna , Turin and other places in Northern Italy until she went to London for the first time for a season in 1766 and sang at the King's Theater . After further appearances in Italy in the meantime, Grassi returned to London in 1769, where, in addition to successful appearances in the King's Theater, she also took part in the Bach-Abel Concerts . Johann Christian Bach composed several works for her, e.g. B. the cantatas Amor vincitore (1774) and Cefalo e Procri (1776). It was around this time that she married him too. In 1776 she retired.
Bach, who died at the turn of the year 1781/82, left her 4,000 pounds in debt. Carl Friedrich Abel and other musicians organized a benefit concert in their favor on May 27, 1782. A donation from Queen Charlotte of 100 pounds enabled her to return to Italy in the summer of 1782.
literature
- Maria Carmela Di Cesare: Grassi, Cecilia. In: Mario Caravale (ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 58: Gonzales-Graziani. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 2002.
- Murray R. Charters / Stephen Roe: Grassi, Cecilia. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
- Michael Kassler (ed.): The Memoirs of Charlotte Papendiek (1765-1840). Pickering & Chatto, London 2015, p. 347.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Grassi, Cecilia |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Bach, Cecilia (married name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1740 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Naples |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 2, 1791 |
| Place of death | London |