A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mountier

MOUNTIER, who is called by Burney 'the Chichester boy,' was probably of French origin, and educated musically in the choir of Chichester Cathedral. He made his first appearance 'in Character on any stage' as Acis, to the Galatea of Miss Arne (afterwards Mrs. Gibber), May 17, 1732, at the Haymarket Theatre,—the performance got up by the elder Arne. Mountier sang, in the same year, the part of Neptune (though advertised for that of Phœbus, which was given afterwards to Barret) in Lediard's 'Britannia, an English Opera,' with music by Lampe, 'after the Italian manner,' a work not mentioned by the biographers of that composer. It may be, therefore, interesting to record that the caste included Cecilia Young (Britannia), afterwards Mrs. Arne, Susanna Mason (Publick Virtue), Comano, or Commano (Discord), a basso who had sung the year before on the Italian stage, Waltz (Honour), the well-known singer who, from being 'Handel's cook,' became afterwards the performer of many of that master's principal bass parts in opera and oratorio, and other performers. In the following year we find Mountier promoted to the Italian stage, and singing the part of Adelberto in Handel's 'Ottone' (revived), after which his name does not appear again in the bills.

[ J. M. ]