Great Singers, First Series | Page 4

prime donne, who were to sing together. On their appearance they were
received with a storm of mingled hissing and clapping of hands, which
soon augmented into a hurricane of catcalls, shrieking, and stamping.
Even the presence of royalty could not restrain the wild uproar, and
accomplished women of the world took part in these discordant sounds.
Dr. Arbuthnot, in alluding to the disgraceful scene, wrote in the
"London Journal" this stinging rebuke: "Æsop's story of the cat, who, at
the petition of her lover, was changed into a fine woman, is pretty well
known; notwithstanding which alteration, we find that upon the
appearance of a mouse she could not resist the temptation of springing
out of his arms, though it was on the very wedding night. Our English
audience have been for some time returning to their cattish nature, of
which some particular sounds from the gallery have given us sufficient
warning. And since they have so openly declared themselves, I must
only desire that they must not think they can put on the fine woman
again just when they please, but content themselves with their skill in
caterwauling." The following epigram was called out by the
proceedings of the evening, which were mostly stimulated by the
Pembroke party, who supported Cuzzoni:
"Old poets sing that beasts did dance Whenever Orpheus played: So to
Faustina's charming voice Wise Pembroke's asses brayed."
The two fair cantatrices even forgot themselves so far as to come to
blows on several occasions, and the scandalous chronicle of the times

was enlivened with epigrams, lampoons, libels, and duels in rapid
succession. This amusing but disgraceful feud was burlesqued in a
farce called "Contretemps, or The Rival Queens," which was performed
at Heidigger's theatre. Faustina as the Queen of Bologna and Cuzzoni
as Princess of Modena were made to seize each other by the hair, and
lacerate each other's faces. Handel looks on with cynical attention, and
calmly orders that the antagonists be "left to fight it out, inasmuch as
the only way to calm their fury is to let them satisfy it."
The directors of the opera finally solved the difficulty in the following
manner: Cuzzoni had solemnly sworn never to accept a guinea less than
her rival. As Faustina was far more attractive and manageable, she was
offered just one guinea more than Cuzzoni, who learning the fact broke
her contract in a fury of indignation, and accepted a Viennese
engagement. The well-known Ambrose Philips addressed the following
farewell lines to the wrathful singer:
"Little siren of the stage, Charmer of an idle age, Empty warbler,
breathing lyre, Wanton gale of fond desire; Bane of every manly art,
Sweet enfeebler of the heart; Oh! too pleasing is thy strain. Hence to
southern climes again, Tuneful mischief, vocal spell; To this island bid
farewell: Leave us as we ought to be-- Leave the Britons rough and
free."
II.
Faustina Bordoni, who from the time of her radiant _début_ was known
as the "New Siren," was the daughter of a noble Venetian family,
formerly one of the governing families of the republic. Born in the year
1700, she began to study her art at an early age under Gasparoni, who
developed a beautiful and flexible voice to the greatest advantage. She
made her first appearance at the age of sixteen in Pollarolo's
"Ariodante," and her beauty, which was ravishing, her exquisite voice,
dramatic power, and artistic skill, gave her an immediate place as one
of the greatest ornaments of the lyric stage. She came into rivalry with
Cuzzoni even at this early period, but carried off the palm of victory as
she did in after-years. Venice, Naples, Florence, and Vienna were
successively the scenes of her triumphant reign as an artist, and she

became acknowledged as the most brilliant singer in Europe. At Vienna
she was appointed court singer at a salary of fifteen thousand thalers.
Here she was found by Handel, who carried her to London, where she
made her _début_ May 5,1726, in that great composer's "Alessandro,"
very appropriately singing Statira to the Roxana of Cuzzoni. Faustina's
amiable and unobtrusive character seems to have made her an
unwilling participant in the quarrels into which circumstances forced
her, and to have always deserved the eulogium pronounced by
Apostolo Zeno on her departure from Vienna: "But whatever good
fortune she meets with, she merits it all by her courteous and polite
manners, as well as talents, with which she has enchanted and gained
the esteem and affection of the whole court." Throughout life a sweet
temper and unspotted purity of character made her the idol of her
friends as well as of the general public. Faustina seems to have left
London gladly, though her short career of two years there was a
brilliant artistic success. The scandalous