Marietta Sacchi
Encyclopedia
Marietta Sacchi was an Italian opera
tic soprano
who had an active career during the 1820s and 1830s. She mainly performed in comprimario
and soubrette
roles, and appeared at most of Italy's major opera house
s and at His Majesty's Theatre
in London. She notably created roles in the world premieres of operas by Vincenzo Bellini
, Gaetano Donizetti
, Simon Mayr
, Giovanni Pacini
, Luigi Ricci, and Giuseppe Verdi
. She also excelled in parts from the operas of Gioachino Rossini.
's Demetrio at the Teatro Regio di Torino. In 1826 she sang in the premiere of Giovanni Pacini
's La gelosia corretta at La Scala
and returned to that house the following year to perform the role of Adele in the world premiere of Vincenzo Bellini
's Il pirata
. She was committed to the Teatro Regio di Torino in 1828-1829 where she performed Zarele in Pacini's Gli arabi nelle Gallie and Selene in Saverio Mercadante
's Didone abbandonata. In May and June 1829 she performed in several operas at the Teatro Regio di Parma
, including Azema in the house premiere of Gioachino Rossini's Semiramide
, Berta in the house premiere of Rossini's The Barber of Seville
, Fatima in the world premiere of Bellini's Zaira
, and Sinaide in the house premiere of Rossini's Moïse et Pharaon
. In August and September 1829 she performed at the Teatro Riccardi in Bergamo as Adra in Pietro Generali
's Jefte and Zarele. In October–November 1829 she was heard at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna
as Adele in Nicola Vaccai
's Giulietta e Romeo
, Adra, Azema, and Emilia in Rossini's Otello
.
From December 1829 through February 1830, Sacchi performed in several operas at the Teatro Regio di Parma, including Vaccai's Adele, Roggiero in Rossini's Tancredi
, and Zaida in Rossini's Il turco in Italia
. The following April she made her debut at His Majesty's Theatre in London as Bellini's Adele. In 1831 she performed at La Scala as Clotilde in the world premiere of Bellini's Norma
; a role she repeated the following year at La Fenice
. In 1832 she was heard at the Teatro della Canobbiana as Giannetta in the premiere of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore
. She sang several roles at La Fenice in 1833, including Isaura in Tancredi and Giannetta. In 1834 she performed at the opera house in Livorno as Rossini's Berta, Elisetta in Domenico Cimarosa
's Il matrimonio segreto
, and Jemmy in Rossini's William Tell
.
In 1836 Sacchi was committed to the Teatro Comunale di Bologna where she portrayed Eudora in Donizetti's Belisario
and Imelda in Donizetti's Parisina
among other roles. In 1837 she returned to the Teatro Regio di Parma to portray the role of Lisa in Bellini's La sonnambula
opposite Joséphine de Méric as Amina. In 1838 she portrayed Countess Almaviva in the world premiere of Luigi Ricci's The Marriage of Figaro at La Scala. She was heard in Parma again in January 1839 as Anaide in Mosè in Egitto. Some of her last operatic appearances were at La Scala in 1839 in the world premieres of Donizetti's Gianni di Parigi
(Lorezza) and Verdi's Oberto
(Cuniza).
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...
who had an active career during the 1820s and 1830s. She mainly performed in comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
and soubrette
Soubrette
A soubrette is a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".-Theater:...
roles, and appeared at most of Italy's major opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s and at His Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
in London. She notably created roles in the world premieres of operas by Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini was an Italian opera composer. His greatest works are I Capuleti ed i Montecchi , La sonnambula , Norma , Beatrice di Tenda , and I puritani...
, Gaetano Donizetti
Gaetano Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. His best-known works are the operas L'elisir d'amore , Lucia di Lammermoor , and Don Pasquale , all in Italian, and the French operas La favorite and La fille du régiment...
, Simon Mayr
Simon Mayr
Johann Simon Mayr , also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr was a German composer.- Life :...
, Giovanni Pacini
Giovanni Pacini
Giovanni Pacini was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Pacini was born in Catania, Sicily, the son of the buffo Luigi Pacini, who was to appear in the premieres of many of Giovanni's operas...
, Luigi Ricci, and Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
. She also excelled in parts from the operas of Gioachino Rossini.
Career
In 1823 Sacchi portrayed the role of Barsene in the world premiere of Simon MayrSimon Mayr
Johann Simon Mayr , also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr was a German composer.- Life :...
's Demetrio at the Teatro Regio di Torino. In 1826 she sang in the premiere of Giovanni Pacini
Giovanni Pacini
Giovanni Pacini was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Pacini was born in Catania, Sicily, the son of the buffo Luigi Pacini, who was to appear in the premieres of many of Giovanni's operas...
's La gelosia corretta at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
and returned to that house the following year to perform the role of Adele in the world premiere of Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini was an Italian opera composer. His greatest works are I Capuleti ed i Montecchi , La sonnambula , Norma , Beatrice di Tenda , and I puritani...
's Il pirata
Il pirata
Il pirata is an opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani from a French translation of the tragic play Bertram, or The Castle of St Aldobrando by Charles Maturin...
. She was committed to the Teatro Regio di Torino in 1828-1829 where she performed Zarele in Pacini's Gli arabi nelle Gallie and Selene in Saverio Mercadante
Saverio Mercadante
Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...
's Didone abbandonata. In May and June 1829 she performed in several operas at the Teatro Regio di Parma
Teatro Regio di Parma
Teatro Regio di Parma is a famous 19th century opera house and opera company in Parma, Italy. The theatre was originally known as the Teatro Ducale....
, including Azema in the house premiere of Gioachino Rossini's Semiramide
Semiramide
Semiramide is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini.The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Babylon...
, Berta in the house premiere of Rossini's The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
, Fatima in the world premiere of Bellini's Zaira
Zaira (opera)
Zaira is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini set to a libretto by Felice Romani which was based on Voltaire's 1732 tragedy, Zaïre. The story takes place in the time of the Crusades and the opera's plot involves the heroine, Zaira, struggling between her Christian...
, and Sinaide in the house premiere of Rossini's Moïse et Pharaon
Mosè in Egitto
Mosè in Egitto is a three-act opera written by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola, which was based on a play by Francesco Ringhieri, L'Osiride, of 1760....
. In August and September 1829 she performed at the Teatro Riccardi in Bergamo as Adra in Pietro Generali
Pietro Generali
Pietro Generali is a former basketball player from Italy, who won the silver medal with his national team at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.-References:...
's Jefte and Zarele. In October–November 1829 she was heard at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Teatro Comunale di Bologna
The Teatro Comunale di Bologna is an opera house in Bologna, Italy, and is one of the most important opera venues in Italy. Typically, it presents eight operas with six performances during its November to April season....
as Adele in Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai was an Italian composer, particularly of operas, and a singing teacher.-Life and career as a composer:...
's Giulietta e Romeo
Giulietta e Romeo (Vaccai)
Giulietta e Romeo is an opera in two acts by the Italian composer Nicola Vaccai. The libretto, by Felice Romani, is based on the tragedy by of the same name by Luigi Scevola and, ultimately, on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was first performed at the Teatro alla Canobbiana, Milan on 31...
, Adra, Azema, and Emilia in Rossini's Otello
Otello (Rossini)
Otello is an opera in three acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Berio di Salsi, based on Shakespeare's play Othello....
.
From December 1829 through February 1830, Sacchi performed in several operas at the Teatro Regio di Parma, including Vaccai's Adele, Roggiero in Rossini's Tancredi
Tancredi
Tancredi is a melodramma eroico in two acts by composer Gioachino Rossini and librettist Gaetano Rossi, based on Voltaire's play Tancrède...
, and Zaida in Rossini's Il turco in Italia
Il turco in Italia
Il turco in Italia is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The Italian-language libretto was written by Felice Romani...
. The following April she made her debut at His Majesty's Theatre in London as Bellini's Adele. In 1831 she performed at La Scala as Clotilde in the world premiere of Bellini's Norma
Norma (opera)
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition...
; a role she repeated the following year at La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
. In 1832 she was heard at the Teatro della Canobbiana as Giannetta in the premiere of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts...
. She sang several roles at La Fenice in 1833, including Isaura in Tancredi and Giannetta. In 1834 she performed at the opera house in Livorno as Rossini's Berta, Elisetta in Domenico Cimarosa
Domenico Cimarosa
Domenico Cimarosa was an Italian opera composer of the Neapolitan school...
's Il matrimonio segreto
Il matrimonio segreto
Il matrimonio segreto is an opera in two acts, music by Domenico Cimarosa, on a libretto by Giovanni Bertati, based on the play The Clandestine Marriage by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick...
, and Jemmy in Rossini's William Tell
William Tell (opera)
Guillaume Tell is an opera in four acts by Gioachino Rossini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy and Hippolyte Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell. Based on the legend of William Tell, this opera was Rossini's last, even though the composer lived for nearly forty more years...
.
In 1836 Sacchi was committed to the Teatro Comunale di Bologna where she portrayed Eudora in Donizetti's Belisario
Belisario
Belisario is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of Eduard von Schenk's play. The plot is loosely based on the life of the famous general Belisarius of the 6th century Byzantine Empire...
and Imelda in Donizetti's Parisina
Parisina (opera)
Parisina is an opera , in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Byron's 1816 poem Parisina...
among other roles. In 1837 she returned to the Teatro Regio di Parma to portray the role of Lisa in Bellini's La sonnambula
La sonnambula
La sonnambula is an opera semiseria in two acts, with music in the bel canto tradition by Vincenzo Bellini to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani, based on a scenario for a ballet-pantomime by Eugène Scribe and Jean-Pierre Aumer called La somnambule, ou L'arrivée d'un nouveau seigneur.The first...
opposite Joséphine de Méric as Amina. In 1838 she portrayed Countess Almaviva in the world premiere of Luigi Ricci's The Marriage of Figaro at La Scala. She was heard in Parma again in January 1839 as Anaide in Mosè in Egitto. Some of her last operatic appearances were at La Scala in 1839 in the world premieres of Donizetti's Gianni di Parigi
Gianni di Parigi
Gianni di Parigi is a melodramma or opera in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti from a libretto by Felice Romani, which had been previously used by Francesco Morlacchi for an opera of the same name...
(Lorezza) and Verdi's Oberto
Oberto (opera)
Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio is an opera in two acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on an existing libretto by Antonio Piazza probably called Rocester....
(Cuniza).