Eliza Biscaccianti (1824 in Boston â€" July 1896 in Paris) was an
American operatic soprano from Boston, Massachusetts. Born Eliza
Ostinelli, she was the daughter of pianist Sophia Hewitt Ostinelli,
the only woman to have ever been employed as an organist and
accompanist by Boston's Handel and Haydn Society and the second
musician ever to perform the work of Beethoven in Boston, and Louis
Ostinelli, a native of Italy who became a second violinist with, and
later a conductor of, the Handel and Haydn Society. Her uncle was
composer John Hill Hewitt and her grandfather was conductor, composer
and music publisher James Hewitt.She was nicknamed "The American
Thrush."From 1842-1847 Biscaccianti studied singing in Italy, most
notably with Giuditta Pasta. She made her professional opera debut at
Teatro Lirico in Milan in May 1847 as Elvira in Ernani. While in Italy
she married the Italian cellist Count Alessandro Biscaccianti. They
returned to the United States in late 1847 when Biscaccianti was
offered a contract at the Astor Opera House in New York City. She made
her debut at the Astor opera house as Amina in La sonnambula. She was
later heard that season in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor.After
the Astor Place Riot in 1849, she returned to her native city of
Boston where she was lauded for her opera performances. She then
toured to San Francisco in 1852 where she was one of the star
performers in the fledgling opera scene in that city during.
American operatic soprano from Boston, Massachusetts. Born Eliza
Ostinelli, she was the daughter of pianist Sophia Hewitt Ostinelli,
the only woman to have ever been employed as an organist and
accompanist by Boston's Handel and Haydn Society and the second
musician ever to perform the work of Beethoven in Boston, and Louis
Ostinelli, a native of Italy who became a second violinist with, and
later a conductor of, the Handel and Haydn Society. Her uncle was
composer John Hill Hewitt and her grandfather was conductor, composer
and music publisher James Hewitt.She was nicknamed "The American
Thrush."From 1842-1847 Biscaccianti studied singing in Italy, most
notably with Giuditta Pasta. She made her professional opera debut at
Teatro Lirico in Milan in May 1847 as Elvira in Ernani. While in Italy
she married the Italian cellist Count Alessandro Biscaccianti. They
returned to the United States in late 1847 when Biscaccianti was
offered a contract at the Astor Opera House in New York City. She made
her debut at the Astor opera house as Amina in La sonnambula. She was
later heard that season in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor.After
the Astor Place Riot in 1849, she returned to her native city of
Boston where she was lauded for her opera performances. She then
toured to San Francisco in 1852 where she was one of the star
performers in the fledgling opera scene in that city during.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.