page_title: Giulia Frasi
section_title: Handel's last prima donna
hierarchical_section_title: Giulia Frasi / Second part and end of career / Handel's last prima donna
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Die Sängerin Regina Mingotti
context_page_description: Giulia Frasi, was born in c. 1730 and died in 1772 or after May 1774. She was an Italian soprano who was primarily active in London. She sang in every one of Handel's English oratorios, including various world premières for which the composer wrote roles specifically for her.
context_section_description: As of 1749 Giulia sings in all of the Covent Garden concerts that Handel gave for the rest of his life  and she remained Handel's Prima Donna in all his later seasons, creating and interpreting parts he often wrote specifically for her. Her greatest successes were Handel's oratorios.
  From 1750 Messiah had annual performances at the Foundling Hospital until Handel's death and beyond. Based on Frasi's professional relationship with Handel and her involvement in charity, she is likely to have taken part in most of them. Indeed, David Vickers states that "Frasi participated in all of Handel's annual performances of Messiah, in the chapel of the Foundling Hospital (from 1750)." 
  Many of Handel's oratorios had numerous revivals with her, including in provencial cities: Oxford in 1754, 1756, 1759, Salisbury in 1758, 1761, 1765, Ranelagh in 1751, 1752, and for nine consecutive years at the Three Choir festival (1756- 64).
  For instance:
  On Saturday 22 June 1754 the Oxford Journal published the following advertising:
  On Wednesday the 3rd, Thursday the 4th and Friday the 5th of July, being the three Days following the Commemoration of Founders and Benefactors to the University, L'Allegro, il Penseroso, &c. Judas Macchabæus, and Messiah will be performed in the Theatre. The principal Vocal Parts by SIGNORA FRASI, Mr. BEARD, Mr. WASS, and others; and the Instrumental Parts by many of the most excellent Performers of every Kind from LONDON. Further particulars will be specified in the Bills of each Days Performance.
  On Saturday 30 June 1759 the Oxford Journal published the following advertising:
  On Tuesday the 3rd of July (the Day of the Installation) will be performed, in the Theatre, the Oratorio of SAMSON; on Wednesday the 4th (the Day appointed for commemorating our Founders and  Benefactors), the Oratorio of ESTHER; and on the 5th MESSIAH, or the SACRED ORATORIO; together with select pieces between the Acts (as will be specified in the Bill of each Days Performance) by a numerous and excellent Band  from London, Bath and other Places. The principal Vocal Parts by Signora Frasi, Miss Brent, Mess. BEARD, CHAMPNES, WASS and HUDSON from London and Master NORRIS from Salisbury. TICKETS are to be had at Mr. Cross's Music Shop and at the Coffee Houses; Price FIVE SHILLINGS.
  Throughout the 1750s, "Frasi's concert repertoire stretched from Purcell to Terradellas." She was considered a paramount principal soprano in English oratorios or other works of the sort by Handel and by other composers. Frasi was at nine consecutive meetings of the Three Choirs Festival: she sang for William Boyce at Hereford in 1756, then she performed for Arne, and so on. She gave regular concerts in Oxford too. She also continued to be part of the Covent Garden oratorio concerts given by Handel and, later, by John Christopher Smith and John Stanley. (The latter two would produce their own oratorios (or other works suitable for the occasion) whilst also putting together revivals of Handel's.) In fact, after Handel's death in 1759, Frasi continued as Prima Donna under his successors until about 1768.
  In total Frasi also participated in at least fourteen opera seasons at the King's Theatre between 1742 and 1761. In addition to which, during the 1754-1756 seasons, Giulia regularly covered for Regina Mingotti. (Mingotti's fits of temper, antagonisms with the director of the opera company of the King's Theatre and ailings often made her "indisposed". Frasi covered for her many a time, more often than not ending up taking over Mingotti's role for the rest of the performances as Regina Mingotti "[would] not yet [have] recovered of her indisposition". Michael Burden quotes the following newspaper clip: 
  Signora Mingotti having acquainted Sig Vanneschi Yesterday Afternoon that she continues very much indisposed, and is not able to sing To morrow night, by which Reason the Opera called Ezio cannot be performed; instead thereof Sig. Vanneschi begs Leave to perform the Opera of Andromaca, in which Signora Frasi will do the part of Signora Mingotti; and Signora Peralta is to d
caption: Regina Mingotti, 1745
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