Charles Burney in London - 11 November, 1775

from Letter from Charles Burney to Thomas Twining, 15-[16?] Nov. 1775, pages 190-191:

I was carried out of a sick-bed to the Opera on Saturday. The public was in general disappointed. They expected a Giant in Gabrielli & behold! a pigmy. I was more pleased than surprised or disappointed. A little, dapper, short-armed, elegant, appetissante figure, was not likely to have the voice of a Stentor. She had a cold, & was put out of humour by the brutality of John in the Gallery hissing her Sister. But through all clouds & storms I discovered a voice more like Mrs Sheridan's in the clear places, than any one I know of: an execution rapid & neat to a very superior degree. After a very …   more >>
cite as

Charles Burney, Letter from Charles Burney to Thomas Twining, 15-[16?] Nov. 1775. In Charles Burney, and Alvaro Ribeiro (ed.), The letters of Dr Charles Burney, volume 1 (Oxford, 1991), p. 190-191. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1412158099406 accessed: 10 December, 2024

location of experience: London

Listeners

Charles Burney
musicologist, Musician, Writer
1726-1814

Listening to

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Didone abbandonata
written by Antonio Sacchini
performed by Caterina Gabrielli, Francesca Gabrielli, Venanzio Rauzzini

Experience Information

Date/Time 11 November, 1775
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Notes

By 'John', Burney means 'John Bull' - i.e., generically, the English public.


Originally submitted by Charlotte on Wed, 01 Oct 2014 11:08:19 +0100