A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Storace, Ann

STORACE, Ann (otherwise Anna) Selina, daughter of Stefano Storace, an eminent Italian contrabassist who had settled in England, was born in London in 1766. She was first instructed in music by her father, and when only 8 years old appeared as a singer at the Haymarket Theatre, in a concert given by Evans, the harper, April 15, 1774. She was afterwards a pupil of Rauzzini, and in 1777 sang in the oratorios at Covent Garden and at Hereford Festival. On April 27, 1778, she had a benefit concert at the Tottenham Street Rooms (now the Prince of Wales's Theatre), 'to enable her to pursue her studies, as she intends to go to Italy in the course of the ensuing summer.' She accordingly repaired to Venice, where she became a pupil of the Conservatorio del l'Ospedaletto, under Sacchini. In 1780 she appeared at La Pergola, Florence, with great success. In 1781 she sang at Parma, and in 1782 at La Scala, Milan. In 1784 she was engaged at the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, at a salary equal to £500 sterling for the season, a then unprecedented sum. During her stay in the Austrian capital two important events in her career happened, (1) her appearance on May 1, 1786, as the original performer of Susanna in Mozart's delightful opera, 'Le Nozze di Figaro,' and (2) her ill-starred marriage with Fisher the violinist. [See Fisher, John Abraham.] She returned to England in March 1787, and appeared at the King's Theatre, March 24, as Gelinda, in Paisiello's opera, 'Gli Schiavi per amore,' and afterwards in other comic operas, but she soon abandoned the Italian for the English stage, on which she made her first appearance at Drury Lane, Nov. 24, 1789, in her brother's opera, 'The Haunted Tower,' and for several years afterwards sustained, with the greatest success, a variety of characters in comic opera. In 1791 she sang at the Handel Festival in Westminster Abbey, and in 1792 at Hereford Festival. In 1801 she was engaged at Covent Garden, where she continued to perform until May 30, 1808, when she took her leave of the public in the opera of 'The Cabinet.' She resided in retirement at Herne Hill Cottage, Dulwich, until her death, Aug. 24, 1817, and was buried at St. Mary's, Lambeth. She accumulated a considerable fortune, and by her will, dated Aug. 1O, 1797 (20 years before her death), bequeathed upwards of £11,000 in pecuniary legacies alone, including two munificent gifts of £1000 each to the Old Musical Fund (Royal Society of Musicians), and New Musical Fund. This will was proved Oct. 11, 1817, the personalty being sworn under £50,000. It was said in 1820 that after payment of all the legacies, there remained but little short of £40,000 for her cousin, Miss Trusler, the residuary legatee. Her studious concealment, after her return to England, of her marriage, is evidenced by her having made her will in her maiden name and avoided any description in it of her quality or condition, and also by the fact that her executor, in proving the will, describes her as a spinster.

[ W. H. H. ]