# A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Grisi, Signora Guilia

Layout 2
GRISI, SIGNORA GUILIA,
Was born at Milan on the day of the fete of St. Guilia, 1812. Her father was an officer of engineers, in the service of Napoleon; her aunt was the celebrated singer, Josephine Grassini, and her elder sister was Guidetti Grisi, a mezzo soprano of considerable repute on the Italian stage. The childhood of Guilia gave little promise of the pre-eminence she afterwards attained. She had a quick ear, but was afflicted with a chronic hoarseness which seemed an effectual bar to her advancement in the vocal profession. Her musical education was, however, not neglected; she was much with her sister, whose professional engagements rendered her study and practice almost incessant. It was soon remarked that Guilia could repeat from memory the most difficult passages which she had heard her sister practising; and as she grew up her voice became more clear and flexible, without losing its depth and power. At the age of seventeen, after much study and preparation, she made her debût at the Bologna theatre, at which Guidetti was prima donna, in Rossini's opera of "Zelmira," taking the contralto part, for which she was then fitted, although her voice afterwards developed into a splendid soprano. Her success was such as to induce Signor Lanari, of Florence, to endeavour to secure her for his own theatre, and he succeeded in binding her to serve him exclusively for a term of six years, at a salary much too low for her deserts. After performing for him at Florence, Crivelli, and Milan, where she appeared with Pasta in Bellini's opera of "Norma," she terminated the engagement in a sudden and unexpected manner, by flying into France, which she reached after some strange adventures, and was received by her sister, who was then performing at Paris, and at once engaged as prima donna at the Theatre Italien. Since that period she has shone as one of the brightest stars in the operatic hemisphere.
In April, 1834, she came to London, where her first performance was in the character of Ninette in "La Gazza Ladra." From this time to 1854, when, conjointly with Signor Mario, with whom she had achieved some of her greatest triumphs, she took her farewell of the English stage, she was constantly before the public, adding to the enthusiastic admiration with which she was regarded by every change of character assumed by her, whose impersonifications ​of passion in its intensist forms—of love and hate, jealousy, despair,—were some of the finest pieces of tragic expression ever witnessed. As Anna Bolena, Norma, Semiramide, Udegonda, Lacrezia Borgia, Elrira, in "Il Pnritana," etc., she thrilled and electrified her auditors in a way never to be forgotten. And yet, amid all her blaae of triumph—beautiful, accomplished, almost worshipped as she was—one night well ask the question—was she happy? Married early, says report, to M. de Meley, a French gentleman, whose name she does not appear to have ever borne, and from whom she was quickly divorced, she afterwards became attached to Signor Mario, who succeeded Rnbini on the operatic stage; with him she went to New York, and after performing a professional tour through America, finally settled at Florence, being, it is said, the wife of the accomplished tenon.
Of her history it has been well said that "you may read it in the wild dramatic story of a passionate life; it resembles her acting. But why follow it beyond the stage—that stage whereon she walks as one fresh from the temple of genius, with the wand ready to thrall the spirits at her audience, with the voice that might 'charm down angels from their spheres'—full, rich, voluptuous, rife with soul and melody, and in its beauty and freshness more eloquent than Wisdom's self? So does Guilia Grisi triumph in her mystic art!"