Isabella Lampe
Encyclopedia
Isabella Lampe (December 1715, London
– 5 January 1795, London) was an English opera
tic soprano
and the wife of composer
John Frederick Lampe
. She sang primarily in works by her husband and was part of a well-known English family of musicians, the Young family, that included several professional singers
and organist
s during the 17th and 18th centuries.
area of London, she was baptised the following 3 January 1716. Both her father, Charles Young
, and his brother, Anthony Young
, were well known organist
s and minor composer
s. The third child of four, Isabella's older sister Cecilia
was one of the greatest English sopranos of the 18th century and the wife of composer Thomas Arne. Her younger sister Esther
was a successful contralto
and her older brother Charles was a clerk at the Royal Treasury
. Isabella's nieces, Isabella
, Elizabeth
, and Polly
, followed in the footsteps of their aunts to become successful singers.
Along with her sisters, Isabella's earliest musical training was with her father but she eventually studied privately with other teachers. She made her professional stage debut in 1733 in a small singing role at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
where she appeared several more times in small roles for the next two years. This was followed by several concert appearances and she did not return to the stage again until 1737 when she sang the heroine Margery in John Frederick Lampe
’s burlesque opera The Dragon of Wantley. A tremendous success, Isabella portrayed the role for several seasons in more than 100 performances. In the middle of the production's lengthy run she married the composer and subsequently created roles in all his stage works, including Thisbe in Pyramus and Thisbe
(1745). Most of these productions were staged at the Covent Garden Theatre
and the Lampes had a long association with that venue.
In 1748 the Lampes went to Dublin and Isabella appeared for two seasons at the Smock Alley Theatre, including portraying the role of Coridon in Handel
's Acis and Galatea. She also sang in numerous concerts and at the Marlborough Green pleasure gardens. In November 1750 the Lampes went to Edinburgh
and, according to music historian Charles Burney
, were soon "settled very much to the satisfaction of the patrons of Music in that city". Sadly, Lampe died there rather suddenly of a fever in July 1751 and Isabella went back to London
.
After returning to England
, Isabella continued to appear in productions at Covent Garden for the next twenty five years. She portrayed mostly roles that her husband had written for her in revivals of his works but also appeared in some new roles, mostly in musical afterpiece
s. Towards the end of her time with the company she sang mainly as a member of the chorus, often with her younger sister Esther. Her last season with the company was the 1775–1776 season.
Following the death of her father in 1758, Isabella's son Charles John Frederick Lampe
took over his grandfather's post as organist at All Hallows, Barking-by-the-Tower
. Her daughter-in-law sang for a time as Mrs Lampe at the pleasure gardens and Sadler's Wells Theatre
.
Isabella died at the age of 79 in London on the 5 January 1795.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– 5 January 1795, London) was an English opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and the wife of composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe was a musician.He was born in Saxony, but came to England in 1724 and played the bassoon in opera houses. His wife, Isabella Lampe, was sister-in-law to the composer Thomas Arne with whom Lampe collaborated on a number of concert seasons...
. She sang primarily in works by her husband and was part of a well-known English family of musicians, the Young family, that included several professional singers
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
s during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Biography
Born with the name Isabella Young sometime during December 1715 in the Covent GardenCovent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
area of London, she was baptised the following 3 January 1716. Both her father, Charles Young
Charles Young (musician)
Charles Young was an English organist and composer. He was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries....
, and his brother, Anthony Young
Anthony Young (musician)
Anthony Young was an English organist and composer. He was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the 17th and 18th centuries.-Biography:...
, were well known organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
s and minor composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s. The third child of four, Isabella's older sister Cecilia
Cecilia Young
Cecilia Young was one of the greatest English sopranos of the eighteenth century, the wife of composer Thomas Arne, and the mother of composer Michael Arne...
was one of the greatest English sopranos of the 18th century and the wife of composer Thomas Arne. Her younger sister Esther
Esther Young
Esther Young was an English operatic contralto and the wife of music publisher Charles Jones...
was a successful contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
and her older brother Charles was a clerk at the Royal Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. Isabella's nieces, Isabella
Isabella Young
Isabella Young was an English mezzo-soprano and organist who had a successful career as a concert performer and opera singer during the latter half of the eighteenth century...
, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Young (contralto)
Elizabeth Young was an English contralto and actress. She was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries....
, and Polly
Polly Young
Polly Young was an English soprano, composer and keyboard player. She was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the 17th and 18th centuries...
, followed in the footsteps of their aunts to become successful singers.
Along with her sisters, Isabella's earliest musical training was with her father but she eventually studied privately with other teachers. She made her professional stage debut in 1733 in a small singing role at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
where she appeared several more times in small roles for the next two years. This was followed by several concert appearances and she did not return to the stage again until 1737 when she sang the heroine Margery in John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe was a musician.He was born in Saxony, but came to England in 1724 and played the bassoon in opera houses. His wife, Isabella Lampe, was sister-in-law to the composer Thomas Arne with whom Lampe collaborated on a number of concert seasons...
’s burlesque opera The Dragon of Wantley. A tremendous success, Isabella portrayed the role for several seasons in more than 100 performances. In the middle of the production's lengthy run she married the composer and subsequently created roles in all his stage works, including Thisbe in Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe (Lampe)
Pyramus and Thisbe is a mock opera in one act by John Frederick Lampe to an anonymous libretto based on Richard Leveridge’s libretto of the same name after the play-within-a-play in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream which is in turn based the Greek myth Pyramus and Thisbe...
(1745). Most of these productions were staged at the Covent Garden Theatre
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
and the Lampes had a long association with that venue.
In 1748 the Lampes went to Dublin and Isabella appeared for two seasons at the Smock Alley Theatre, including portraying the role of Coridon in Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
's Acis and Galatea. She also sang in numerous concerts and at the Marlborough Green pleasure gardens. In November 1750 the Lampes went to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and, according to music historian Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
, were soon "settled very much to the satisfaction of the patrons of Music in that city". Sadly, Lampe died there rather suddenly of a fever in July 1751 and Isabella went back to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
After returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Isabella continued to appear in productions at Covent Garden for the next twenty five years. She portrayed mostly roles that her husband had written for her in revivals of his works but also appeared in some new roles, mostly in musical afterpiece
Afterpiece
An afterpiece is a short, usually humorous one-act playlet or musical work following the main attraction, the full-length play, and concluding the theatrical evening. This short comedy, farce, opera or pantomime was a popular theatrical form in the 18th and 19th centuries...
s. Towards the end of her time with the company she sang mainly as a member of the chorus, often with her younger sister Esther. Her last season with the company was the 1775–1776 season.
Following the death of her father in 1758, Isabella's son Charles John Frederick Lampe
Charles John Frederick Lampe
Charles John Frederick Lampe was an English composer and organist, and the son of composer John Frederick Lampe and the singer Isabella Lampe .-Biography:...
took over his grandfather's post as organist at All Hallows, Barking-by-the-Tower
All Hallows-by-the-Tower
All Hallows-by-the-Tower, also previously dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, is an ancient Anglican church located in Byward Street in the City of London, overlooking the Tower of London.-History:...
. Her daughter-in-law sang for a time as Mrs Lampe at the pleasure gardens and Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue located in Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington. The present day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500 seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive...
.
Isabella died at the age of 79 in London on the 5 January 1795.