Grassini, Giuseppina (Maria Camilla)

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Grassini, Giuseppina (Maria Camilla)

Grassini, Giuseppina (Maria Camilla), Italian contralto; b. Varese, April 8, 1773; d. Milan, Jan. 3, 1850. She studied in Varese with Domenico Zucchinetti and in Milan with Antonio Secchi. She made her operatic debut in Parma in 1789 in Guglielmi’s La Pastorella nobile. Grassini sang at La Scala in Milan in 1790, and soon attained popularity on all the leading Italian stages. In 1800 she sang in Milan before Napoleon, and became his mistress; he took her with him to Paris, where she sang at national celebrations. She was in London from 1804 to 1806, then returned to Paris and sang at the French court. After Napoleon’s abdication, she returned to Italy and sang from 1817 until 1823. She then taught voice in Milan, where her notable students included her nieces Giudetta and Giulia Grisi, as well as Pasta. She was noted for her beauty and her acting, as well as her voice.

Bibliography

A. Pougin, Une Cantatrice “amie” de Napoleon: G. G. (Paris, 1920); A. Gavoty, La G. (Paris, 1947).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire