Maria Bland
Encyclopedia
Maria Theresa Bland was a British
singer who enjoyed high popularity in the London
theatre during the last decade of the 18th century and the first two decades of the 19th century.
Maria Bland, the daughter of Italian Jews
, was born with the surname of Romanzini. The year of her birth is assumed to be historically correct, but as was common in the 18th century, the day and month went unrecorded.
She first sang at London's Drury Lane Theatre
in 1786, at the age of about 17 and four years later, in 1790, married an actor named Bland. Over the following three-and-a half decades, from 1789 to 1824, she was attached to Drury Lane almost continuously, but sang also at Haymarket
and Vauxhall
.
Bland retired in 1824, reportedly after having developed melancholia
, and died in 1838.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
singer who enjoyed high popularity in the 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...
theatre during the last decade of the 18th century and the first two decades of the 19th century.
Maria Bland, the daughter of Italian Jews
Italian Jews
Italian Jews can be used in a broad sense to mean all Jews living or with roots in Italy or in a narrower sense to mean the ancient community who use the Italian rite, as distinct from the communities dating from medieval or modern times who use the Sephardi or Ashkenazi rite.-Divisions:Italian...
, was born with the surname of Romanzini. The year of her birth is assumed to be historically correct, but as was common in the 18th century, the day and month went unrecorded.
She first sang at London's Drury Lane Theatre
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,...
in 1786, at the age of about 17 and four years later, in 1790, married an actor named Bland. Over the following three-and-a half decades, from 1789 to 1824, she was attached to Drury Lane almost continuously, but sang also at Haymarket
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
and Vauxhall
Vauxhall Gardens
Vauxhall Gardens was a pleasure garden, one of the leading venues for public entertainment in London, England from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. Originally known as New Spring Gardens, the site was believed to have opened before the Restoration of 1660 with the first mention being...
.
Bland retired in 1824, reportedly after having developed melancholia
Melancholia
Melancholia , also lugubriousness, from the Latin lugere, to mourn; moroseness, from the Latin morosus, self-willed, fastidious habit; wistfulness, from old English wist: intent, or saturnine, , in contemporary usage, is a mood disorder of non-specific depression,...
, and died in 1838.