Patey, Janet (Monach née Whytock)

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Patey, Janet (Monach née Whytock)

Patey, Janet (Monach née Whytock), greatly esteemed Scottish contralto; b. London, May 1,1842; d. Sheffield, Feb. 28, 1894. She studied with Wass, making her debut under the name Ellen Andrews in Birmingham in I860, and then continued her studies with Mrs. Sims Reeves and Ciro Pinsuti. In 1866 she married the baritone John (George) Patey (b. Stonehouse, Devon, 1835; d. Falmouth, Dec. 4,1901); he studied in Paris and Milan, and then made his London debut (1858); appeared in light roles at Covent Garden and the Italian Opera at the Lyceum Theatre. The 2 then traveled extensively together, both at home and overseas. She became duly recognized as the leading British contralto by 1870. She made a tour of the U.S. in 1871.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire