Clara Novello

Clara Anastasia Novello (10 June 1818 – 12 March 1908) was an acclaimed soprano, the fourth daughter of Vincent Novello, a musician and music publisher, and his wife, Mary Sabilla Hehl. Her acclaimed soprano and pure style made her one of the greatest vocalists, alike in opera, oratorio and on the concert stage, from 1833 onwards. In 1843 she married Count Gigliucci, and retired in 1861. Charles Lamb wrote a poem ("To Clara N.") in her praise.

She was born in Oxford Street, London, on 10 June 1818, the fourth daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Hehl. Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke was her eldest sister. Clara was taken in childhood to York, and was placed under Miss Hill, the leading singer, and John Robinson, organist of the Roman Catholic chapel there. Her talents were at once displayed; and on Easter Sunday, when Miss Hill was suddenly indisposed, Clara offered to sing all her solos from memory, and succeeded. In 1829, she became a pupil of Choron's School of Music in Paris. She always retained the strongest appreciation of her training there; Palestrina's music was much sung, and Clara ascribed her perfect sostenuto to having sung in his motets, and being obliged to hold the suspensions. The academy declined after the revolution of 1830, and Clara, who had had unpleasant experiences of the fighting, returned to England.

On 22 October 1832, aged 14, she made her first public appearance, in a concert at Windsor, with full success; and in December she took the soprano part in Beethoven's Missa Solennis. She was soon among the first singers of the day, being engaged at the whole series of Ancient Concerts, at the Philharmonic Concerts, and the Three Choirs Festival. She sang in a sestet, Grisi leading, at the Handel commemoration in June 1834; Lord Mount-Edgcumbe describes her as

a very young girl with a clear good voice.

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