1 Crossing Borders: Music, Musicians and Instruments, 1550–1750 (Cremona) Thursday 12 July 2018 Dr. David Vickers (Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester / The Handel Institute)

Giulia Frasi and English music

mezzotint engraving of ‘A Musical Lady’, thought to be Giulia Frasi (fl. 1740–1774) (Griswold Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University) Concise Chronology

1742/3 Frasi joins Lord Middlesex’s opera company at the King’s Theatre 1746–7 performs English airs by Handel in charity concerts in aid of the Fund for Decay’d Musicians 1748 sings for Handel in oratorio concert season for the first time 1749–52 creates roles in Handel’s four last oratorios 1756 sings for Boyce at the Three Choirs meeting 1759 sings in William Hayes’ Ode to the Memory of Mr. Handel (Oxford) 1760–1 creates roles in new oratorios by J. C. Smith and John Stanley 1763 performs the role of the siren Parthenope in Philip Hayes’ masque Telemachus (Oxford, 1763); performs in concert at Hickford’s Great Room that also features Carl Frederick Abel (viola da gamba) 1764 Frasi makes last of her appearances at Three Choirs Festival; Mozart family gives concerts in 1765 London performance of P. Hayes’ Telemachus cancelled on account of “indisposition” of singers; John Christian Bach and C. F. Abel begin regular concert seasons 1773 makes an unexpected comeback 1774 April–May: last documented concert appearances in London 2 A selection of Frasi’s repertoire in charity concerts for the Fund for Decay’d Musicians1

5 April 1745 St. Germain: ‘Per pietà bell’idolo mio’ (L’incostanza delusa); Lampugnani: ‘Scherza quest’alma mia’

25 March 1746 Handel: ‘Return, o God of hosts’ (Samson); ‘The Prince, unable to conceal his pain’ (Alexander’s Feast)

14 April 1747 Handel: ‘O sleep, why dost thou leave me’ (); ‘To song and dance’ (Samson)

5 March 1748 Handel: ‘Heart, the seat of soft delight’ (Acis & Galatea); ‘The prince, unable to conceal his pain’

21 March 1749 Brivio: ‘Scherza il nocchier’; Galuppi: ‘Parto non ho costanza’; Handel: ‘O sleep, why dost thou leave me’; ‘O lovely peace’ (Judas Maccabaeus) – duet with Galli

10 April 1750 Ciampi: ‘Infelice in van mi lagno’; ‘Oh Dio, mancar mi sento’ (both from Adriano in Siria); Handel: ‘O fairest of ten thousand fair’ (Saul) – duet with Guadagni

16 April 1751 Ciampi: ‘Infelice in van mi lagno’; Chinzer: ‘Se vedi’; Handel: ‘Return, o God of hosts’

24 March 1752 Alberti: ‘Caro sposo’; Handel: ‘See, Hercules’ (presumably Pleasure’s sequence from The Choice of Hercules); Jommelli: ‘Se perde’

30 April 1753 Galuppi: ‘Sol ti chiedo o spera amato’; Handel: ‘Quella fiamma’ (Arminio)

28 February 1754 Perez: ‘Ti parli in seno amore’; Mazzoni: ‘Non vi piacque ingiusti Dei’

17 March 1755 Pergolesi: ‘Tremende oscure atroci’; Handel: ‘Return, o God of hosts’

6 April 1758 Handel: ‘Wise men, flatt’ring’ (Belshazzar); ‘He shall feed his flock’; ‘Ye sacred Priests’ ()

12 March 1761 Handel: ‘Farewell, ye limpid springs’; ‘Freely I to Heav’n resign’ (both from Jephtha)

Works chosen by Frasi for her own organization of benefit performances

Handel: L’Allegro (probably not with ‘Moderato’) 25 April 1754 (KT)

Handel: Samson 6 March 1758 (KT)2

Handel: L’Allegro 1 March 1759 (Great Room, Dean Street)

Handel: Judas Maccabaeus 5 March 1761 (Great Room, Dean Street)3 21 April 1762 (Great Room, Dean Street)

Arne: Artaxerses 1 June 1769 (KT)4

Handel: Judas Maccabaeus 4 May 1770 (Little Theatre)5

1 Frasi sang in almost every annual benefit concert in aid of the Fund for Decay’d Musicians between 1743 and 1761. Programmes for most of them were printed in newspapers such as the Public Advertiser, but the music was not listed for the 1743–4 concerts. She did not participate in 1757 and 1759, and it is unclear whether she was involved in the 1760 benefit performance of .

2 The Public Advertiser announced “For the Benefit of Signora Frasi”, and that “This is the only Opportunity the Public will have of hearing this favourite

Oratorio, Mr. Handel being determined not to perform it this Season.” The Public Advertiser (13 March) reported that Frasi “apologises for deficiencies”.

3 Postponed from 23 February 1761. Rescheduled concert advertised on 3 March with concertos played by Stanley (organ) and Pinto (violin).

4 Frasi published an apology for the expense of the tickets in the Gazetter and New Daily Advertiser, 1 June 1769.

5 Directed by Giardini/Arnold, and held at noon on account of problems with the availability of principal performers (see Public Advertiser, 4 May 1770). 3 John Stanley: ‘With thoughtful pace alone he stray’d’ (Cosbi) from Zimri (CG, 1760)

4 ‘With thoughtful pace’ [end of A section]

5 ‘With thoughtful pace’ [B section]

6 John Stanley: ‘I saw the pride of Virtue fail’ (Cosbi) from Zimri (CG, 1760)

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