Bordoni, Faustina b. March 30, 1697 d. November 4, 1781 Opera Singer. The most renowned mezzo-soprano of the 18th Century, she was acclaimed throughout Europe for the delicacy and intelligence of her singing, as well as for her great beauty. To her many fans she was known simply as "Faustina". Born into a noble family in Venice, Bordoni studied music with the Marcello brothers and Michaelangelo Gasparini, and made her debut in "Ariodante" (1716). Leaving her native city for an extended tour in 1720, she took Italy, Germany, and Austria by...[Read More] (Bio by: Robert Edwards) Chiesa di San Marcuola, Venice, Provincia di Venezia, Veneto, Italy
Hasse, Johann Adolph b. March 25, 1699 d. December 23, 1783 Composer. One of the most popular creators of opera in the 18th Century, his music represented all the virtues - and vices - of the Italian Baroque tradition of "opera seria". Hasse's decorative arias, with their easy, graceful melodies, enjoyed the status of popular tunes from Poland to England. Many of his stage works were set to texts by Pietro Metastasio, the leading librettist of his day. Hasse was born in Bergedorf near Hamburg, Germany. His family had been musicians for four...[Read More] (Bio by: Robert Edwards) Chiesa di San Marcuola, Venice, Provincia di Venezia, Veneto, Italy
b. March 30, 1697 d. November 4, 1781