Personalities | Nancy Storace | Classical Era | Opera

1766–1817, English

The English soprano Nancy Storace was the sister of the composer Stephen Storace and sang in his operas at Drury Lane, London, from 1789 until his death in 1796. Nancy was only 10 years old when she made her debut as Cupid in Le ali d’amore by Venanzio Rauzzini (1746–1810). Five years later, in Florence, Nancy outmatched the castrato soprano Luigi Marchesi (1755–1829). Marchesi was one of the greatest contemporary castrati, with a sizeable ego to match, and Storace had to go. In 1783, Storace’s gift for comedy was earning her great popularity in Vienna, where Mozart was impressed by her. He started to write a part for her, as Emilia in Lo sposo deluso (‘The Deceived Bridegroom’) but the opera was unfinished. However, Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro was also written for Storace and was one of her greatest successes.

Introduction | Classical Era | Opera
Personalities | Stephen Storace | Classical Era | Opera
The Voice | The Castrati | Early & Middle Baroque | Opera
The Voice | The Training of the Castrati | Late Baroque | Opera

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