A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Scalchi, Sophia

SCALCHI, Sofia, was born Nov. 29, 1850, at Turin; received instruction in singing from Augusta Boccabadati, and made her début at Mantua in 1866 as Ulrica in 'Un Ballo in Maschera.' She afterwards sang at Verona, Bologna, Faenza, Nice, etc., and in England for the first time Sept. 16, 1868, at the Promenade Concerts, Agricultural Hall, with very great success. At the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, she first appeared Nov. 5 of the same year, as Azucena, and after that as Pierrotto (Linda), Urbano, Un Caprajo (Dinorah), etc. She is a great favourite at that theatre, and has remained there until the present time. Her voice is of fine quality and of the compass of two octaves and a half from low F to B in alt, enabling her to take both the mezzo-soprano and contralto parts. She is also a fair actress. In Sept. 1875 she married Signor Lolli, a gentleman of Ferrara. Among her repertoire may be named Leonora (Favorita), which she played July 19, 1871, at Mario's farewell appearance; Estelle in Campana's Esmeralda, June 14, 1870; Leonora in Cimarosa's 'Le Astuzie feminili,' July 15, 1871, Meala in Massé's 'Paul et Virginie,' June 1, 1878; Mrs. Page, July 14, 77; and Fides, June 24, 78, on the respective revivals of Nicolai's Lustige Weiber, and of Le Prophète; also Arsace, Amneris, Maffeo Orsini, Siebel, etc. She has had frequent engagements in Italy, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Vienna, etc.

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