Appendix 4

Mingotti's Two
Appeals to the PublicI
AN ApPEAL TO THE PlIIJLlCK 1

THE Reports that Mr. VmlllcschP is continually spreading to my

Disadvantageamong those to whom he has Access, and my repeated but
unsuccess ful Attempts to bring him to an lnterview and Expostulation
before proper Persons, oblige me at last to lay before the Publick
the whole Progress of the Dispute between us, that everyone who
wishes Success to the Opera, may judge whether [ am that perverse,
unreasonable, and turbulent Being that he endeavours to make me
appear.
ON my Arrival in LOlldoll; Vallllesc/Ii came to me, and brought me,
according to Custom, the Manuscript of Iperllles lrn,5 not as Melaslasio 6
originally writ it, and as it is exhibited in Vielllla and all other Places,
but curtailed and changed by himself in a mos t unskilful and absurd
manner. Amongst other stupid Mutilations, he had not only cut out
the Duetto, which is, without doubt, the most pleasing Part of an

I The tex ts th at follows are diplomatic transcriptions, correcting only obvious spelling
errors and internal inconsis tences.
2 Regina Mingotti, All Appea/l o file PI/blie (London: for the authoress, [1755\). Text taken
from US-Wc ML 420.M46.
, Francesco Vanneschi (?early eighteenth century, possibly Florence-London 17607)
was poet and impresario of the King's n,eatre from 1741 until his imprisonment for debt
in 1756. His administration was mired in scandals and disputes, such as this one with
Regina Mingotti. TI,e date of his death is unce rtain, but his name (possibly a signature)
appears in the copy of Allligolln, US·SM La 176, submitted to the office of the Lord
Chamberlain in late March or early April 1760.
• Mingotti arrived in London in time to sing in Jperlllcslrn, the firs t production of the
1754-55 season, which opened on 9 November 1754.
, 1754: 9, 12, 16, 19,23, 26,29 November; 3, 7, 10, 14,31 December. 1755: 4, 7 January,
and 10, 22 April. Metastasio's text of fpL'rlllcs lrn was first set by Johann Adolf Hasse
(1699-1 783) for Vienna; its premiere took place at a private court gathering, its first public
performance at the Hoftheater on 25 January 1744. TIle cou rt performance was to mark
the wedding of the Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria to Charles Alexander, Duke of
Lorraine. Metastasio claimed to have written his fpalllesfra in 18 days.
• Pietro Mctastasio (1698-1782) was an Italian poet and librettist, made famous by
his frequently set opera libretti. His works were obviollsly favoured by Mingotti, who
may have picked up her penchant for them during her years under the castrato Farinclli
at Madrid; Farinelli had an unu sually close relationship with Metastasio, and their
correspondence frequently touched on issues such as those rai sed in the AI'pral. Sec
Roger Savage, 'Staging an Opera: Letters from the Cesarian Poet', Early Mllsir, xxv ,/4
(1998),583-95.
 Reginn Mingotti: Di va and Impresario at the King' s Theatre, London

Opera;7 but taken the Air Til sai cll'io 50110 Amalltei' from the Character
of ipcrlllcslm, and given it (against all Theatrical Rules, and yet more
against common Sense) to that of Lillcco;9 that is, he took from me my
capital Air to give it to Signor Ricciarelli, 1O and when I remonstrated
against his Folly and Injustice, and insisted upon his restoring many
Parts to the Drama, especially the Duetto, he sent me word by Signor
LampI/glial/iii that he was Mallager and Master, and would have me sing
what he pleased, and nothing else .
HAD Va/lIlesc"i stopped here, this would have been of little
Consequence: But when he heard that many found Fault with the Opera
for want of the Duetto, he boldly assured his Friends and Acquaintance,
that he intended to have had it, but that Madam MillgoHi could not by
any Means be prevailed upon to sing it.
WE had no Disagreement about the second Opera, entitled
Pelle/ope,12 a Drama which I had never heard mentioned before; and
although I found it a strange Piece of Nonsense, yet I did not offer any
Reason against it being exhibited. The above Message by Lampl/gllalli
had cautioned me sufficiently against the Temptation of offering Advice
to Mal/ager and Master: But the ill Success of Pelle/ope obliged Valll,escl,i
after the third Night of its being performed,13 to put the Opera of Siroel~
in Rehearsal.

, Mingotti appears to be referring to 'All! se di Ie mi priui', the duet between Ipermestra

and Lineco from Act U, Scene x, which closes the act. Despite her efforts to restore some
of the numbers in the drama, this duet did not appear in the 1754 libretto.
• This text of this air was not by Metastasio. Mingotti was correct in her comment that it
was agains t common sense: although she may have had broader dramatic ideals in mind,
the change would have had the male Lineco singing the line 'CI,' io jig/ia Oil III sai' ('and
am a daughter, too').
, Mingotti was singing the title role; Lineco was performed by Giuseppe Ricciarelli.
I. Giuseppe Ricciarelli (fl. 1754-59) was engaged by Vannescl1i to sing in his 1754-55
season; he made his London debut as Lynceus in Ipermcslra on 9 November 1754. He is
recorded singing at the King's Theatre throughout the mid·1750s, but does not apear to
have been re·engaged for the season of 1757-58. He is last recorded singing in London
in May 1759.
" Giovanni Batista Lampugnani (1 708-88) was appointed resident composer in 1743
at the King's 111eatre, London; however, he was back in Italy in 1745-46. Michael
Robinson and Fabiola Maffei in GOO, II, 1091, note that although 'his SirD<', re di Persia
was performed in London in 1755 ... it is not certain that he was present'; Mingotti's
comments settle the matter, but he appears certain to have been back in Italy again in time
for the 1758-59 season at the Teatro Regio Ducale, Milan, where he had been appointed
harpsichordist; in fact, there is no trace of him in London after the 1754-55 season.
12 1754: 17, 21, 28 December. 1755: 1 I January; 17 April.ll1e text of P<'IIr/opnvasadapted
from that by Paolo A. Rolli (1687-1765), first set by Baldassare Galuppi (170685) for
London; its premiere took plnce at the King's TIleatre on 12 December 1741.
J) In fact, it had two other performances later in the season. It seems that Vanncschi
made it struggle on until the third night, so that he could claim an author's payment; this
was also the case with Alldromaca in the next season.
" 1755: 14, 18, 25,28 January; 1, 4,8, 11, 15 February; 5, 8, 15 April. Metastasio's text of
Siroe, rc di Persin was first set by Leonardo Vinci (c. 1696-1730) for Venice; its premiere
took place ill the Teatro S. Giovanni Grisostomo in February 1726.

158
 Appendix 4

THE Musick of Siroe was all composed by Lampl/gl/fllli; but when

Valllleschi heard me privately sing the Songs that were allotted me in
this Opera, he found them so little to his Taste, that he begged of me as
a Favou r, to substitute other Songs of other Masters, knowing that I had
better Compositions in my Possession. My Compliance procured me a
very base Return; for Valli/ese/Ii, to make me still appear ungovernable
and malevolent, gave out that Signor Lampl/gHalli had excellently set to
Musick the Songs that MillgoHi was to sing, but she had been pleased to
find fault with them and rejected them.
WE had gone on two or three Nights with Siroe, when on Friday in
the Afternoon I was seized with a Fever. 's It was not Six o'Clock when
I sent to inform Varlllese/,; of the Impossibility of my performing the
next Evening, that he might immediately advertise my Absence from
the Opera. Vallllescf,i sent me some cold Compliment in return, and
/roped my Fever wOl/ld IlOt keep me from appearillg tIle Ilext Night; neither
did he advertise my Indisposition as it was his Duty;'6 so that the next
Night the House was filled, as it generally happens on every Satl/rday:
The Audience was then informed by Valli/eSc/Ii and his Emissaries,
that Madam MiHgoHi had played one of his Singer's Tricks; that she
counterfeited a Fever, and had not Complaisance enough for the
Publick, to send Notice of it to him, that he might have prevented the
Company's being disappointed.
THE Absent are generally in the Wrong. The Audience was so
incensed against me that, on my next Appearance, Part of them could
not forbear to treat me with unusual Severity. To put a Stop to such
ill-placed Resentment, as well as to preserve the usual Decorum
where Operas are performed, I was determined by Means of the Daily
Papers, to contradict so gross a Falsity, as it had been propagated to
my Prejudice; and inform the Publick that I had given timely Notice of
my Illness to the Manager; that he had even sent on that very Salurday
his own Physician along with the Treasurer to see me, and that the
Physician had declared, that I had really a Fever, and was not in a
condition to sing: But the Printer of the Publick Advertiser refused to
take in my Advertisement, and said, that he would not publish any
Thing that might be disadvantageous to Mr. Vat/Hese/Ii; so that I was
forced to have Handbills dispersed through the House, whidl allayed a
little Indignation of the AudienceY

" Fever here is clearly being used as a generic term for cold or influenzil-like symptoms,
including a raised temperature.
" The 'duty' appears to have been Mingotti's understanding of custom, but it does seem
not unreasonable for her to assume that the manager would advertise the illness of the
first soprano.
" No copies of this handbill can be traced, but on 27 November 1819, when Macready
was taken ill after the afternoon rehearsal and could not appear, the printer managed
to prepare a small flyer announdng that Mr Yates would replace him, showing the
speed with \vhich this could be done, if the spirit was willing. Flyer, Covent Garden,
27 November 1817, in Frederick Pollock, comp., William Charles MacCread, a IIItlllorial (a
collection of playbills. letters, and newspapers cuttings), \, U5-SM 264486.

159
 Regina Mingotti: Diva and Impresario at the King's Theatre, London

SUCI" Behaviour rendered me more circumspect in a second illness,

occasioned by my going to perform, when indeed I had not recovered
Strength enough to do it. The Method I took to satisfy his Dissidence
and oppose his Malevolence, was to send him a Certificate of my
Physician (A gentleman of known Abilities, and a Member of the
College of Physicians in LOlldoll) every Day. Yet Vmllleschi in his several
Advertisements about the Opera, instead of telling honestly and
seriously that I really was sick, as he knew in his Conscience I was, could
not restrain his petty Malice, and generally gave the Advertisements a
sneering and ironical Turn, that the Resentment of the Audience to me
was rather increased than diminished.
iT would be endless to enumerate his repeated lncivilities to me, his
Falsities of me, and the daily Uneasiness he endeavoured to give me for
the Remainder of the Season. For Instance, when Signor Ricciarelli was
sick, Vmllleschi according to the Italian Stage-Civility, had not his Airs
sung by any temporary Substitute; but when I was in the like Condition,
he would have Signora Frasi l 8 sing everyone of mine without paying
me the usual Compliment of asking my Consent, which is every where
customary by well-bred Managers.
TRICKS of this Nature (of which Vmllleschi played me a great many)
are indeed not very criminal; but when they are too frequent, they
are as offensive as downright Affronts; and Monsignor Della Casa in
his Book on Politeness, judiciously compares them to Flies, that do
not wound to Death like Savage Beasts, but teaze and disturb beyond
patience. 19 I know too, that some People will be apt to laugh at such
Complaints, as frivolous and ridiculous, yet I must beg Leave to say,
that every Trade and Profession has certain Laws and Prescriptions,
which, whenever disregarded and violated, cause Uneasiness and
Disorder somewhere, and that Managers and Musicians must pay that
Deference to one another, which Custom has established, as well as any
other Set of People, to prevent the further lncroachment of Confusion
and Displeasure upon the World.
THE Remainder of the Season went off after this uncomfortable
Manner, and Vallllcschi, that he might gloriously end as he had begun,
would, when the Opera was over, have made a very considerable
Abatement of my Salary. But his Endeavours here were quite baffled,
because I had it secured for me by the Banker of the Opera to a foreign
Merchant before I came over: And although I am sure, had we gone to

18 Giulia Frasi (fl. 1742-72) arrived to sing at the King's Theatre in 1742, and made her
debut in the pasticcio Giallguir. A successful performer of trouser roles, she was also
favoured by Handel for his oratorio seasons, the Queen of Sheba in SO/Oil/Oil being one of
several roles written for her.
" Mingotti's reference 'Monsignor Della Casa in his Book on Politeness' appears to be to
John Brown (1715-66), whose moralistic essay All estill/ate of the 1II00IIIers al/d I'ril/cilJ/es of
the times (London: L. Davies and C. Reymers, 1757) was very popular, and was in its sixth
edition by 1758. Brown is reported to have 'been singing the Romisl, Sta/mt Mater witll the
Mil/golli behind the harpsichord at a great concert.at my Lady Carlisle's'. Walpole, ,x, 219.

160
 Appendix 4

Law the Justice of Ellglallri would have righted me, yet I thought it very
lucky that a previous Insurance spared me the Trouble of an expensive
and tedious Suit in a Country, of which I knew nothing either of the
Language or the Constitution.
FOR the next Season, I was engaged by a new Contract, to be in
LO/lriOl/ about the Middle of October, 1755: Yet on Va/l/leschi's writing to
me that I should oblige him much if I came to Town at the Beginning
of that Month, that we might concert Measures for the Success of the
Operas, I complied with his Request in Hopes to convince him of his
past Prejudices by Civility and Politeness; but a Fortress of Ignorance is
Proof against Attacks of this Kind.
HE proposed to me, on our first Meeting, the drama of Alldrolllaca,20
to which I made the reasonable Objection, that being a Piece I never
heard sung or heard of before, I had no Air that could fit it; adding
further, that as it was a Performance equally wretched, as well for its
Poetry as for the Musick, it was my Opinion that he would hurt himself
by bringing it on the Stage; but that if he would think of exhibiting any
of Metastasio's Operas, I could pick out of my Collection such Songs as
would do much better: Yet Valli/esc/Ii had got Andromacn in his Head,
and jealous of his Judgement and Prerogative, reminded me that he
was Manager and Master, and would have it absolutely performed,
and take the Chance of the Consequence.
HE added, that he had another Composition in his Hands, called
DemO/OOlite, written by my Favourite Metastasio, and set to Musick by
Jomelli;21 but that it was in his Opinion, so detestable a Work altogether,
that he could scarcely bring himself to think it seriously. We were
therefore obliged to perform Alldrol1laca, which had the Fate of all his
darling Compositions, and is fresh in the memory of every one;22 so
that after the third Night23 he was obliged to revive Ezio,24 that was

'" The text of AI/dromaea was adapted from that by Antonio Salvi (1664-1724) entitled
Astial/a/lc; after Racine's AI/dromaqllc, Salvi's libretto was first set by Giacomo A. Perti
(1661-1756) for Florence, and its premiere took place at the Pratolino in 1701. The selling
on which Vanneschi's version was based was that by Niccoli> Jommelli (1714-44) for
Rome, where it had its premiere at the Teatro Argentina on 4 February 1741 .
II Niccoli> Jommelli was an inventive and original Italian composer, who worked in
Naples, Venice, Rome, Stuttgart and Lisbon. He set a large number of Metastasio's texts,
but was interested in modifying their form. Ht' appears never to have visited London, but
his music was in circulation there for much of the eighteenth century.
11 1755: 11, 15,22 November.
2l As in the case of Pmdopc (see note 12), it seems as though Vanneschi kepllhe work on
slage untillhe third night to ensure his pNcentage as the 'autho(.
" Metastasio's text £zio was first st't by Niccolo Porpora (1686-1768) for Venice;
its premiere at the Teatro S. Giovanni Crisostomo took place on 20 November 1728.
Vanneschi's version was based on that by Davide Perez (1711-78) for Naples; its premiere
at the Teatro S. Barlolemo took place in the Autumn of 1730.11",1755 London version
also included settings of two arias by Hasse - 'VII SII(oo /111 fido amallte' and '511 (a S(oll/pos/a
prom' - which wert' undoubtedly introduccd by Mingotli.

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 Regina Mingotti : Diva and Impresario at the King's Theatre, London

represented last Season,15 while he was preparing that Dem%ollte26

which he found so wretched and detestable. But while Ezio was
performing, 27 I was still harassed by his calumnious Complaints, that
the ill Success of Alldrolllaca was still owing to the stubborn Termagant,
Madam Millgoffi, who, as usual, would not sing well, because it was
not of her own chusing. But I appeal to all Connoisseurs in Musick,
whether it is in the Power of a Singer, to make good with her Voice an
ill-versified and absurd Composition. No Man in his Senses will affirm,
that such a Thing is possible; and it is the Dream of a Fool, or rather a
Manager's Trick, to say, that a Thing, bad in its own Nature, may be
good by Art.
DEMOFOONTE ought to have convinced him that he had wronged the
Laws of Veracity, when he repeated (and a Million of Times he repeated
it) that I had settled it in my Mind to ruin him and the Opera; because to
this Performance I put in four of the best Airs I had, though neither my
Contract, nor his Usage, entitled him to such Civility as well as Profit,
as this Opera was performed sixteen Nights without Interruption.
WHILE Delll%ollte was going on with good Success, Vmweschi came
to propose to me Metastasio's Olimpiade,28 telling me, that he would
show it to me as it was shortened and altered after his own theatrical
Notions, that is, mangled and spoiled as usual; but instead of keeping
a Promise that Nobody had forced him to make, he sent one Day his
Copyist to bring me my Part written out, with a Message full of his
usual Politeness, that he did not think fit to let me see the Opera-book,
and that I had nothing to do, but to learn my Part against the Time that
this new Opera was to be exhibited.
I had in Mind to look out in my Collection for some other Musick,
to put to this new Opera of Olilllpiade,l'I as I did to Delll%ollte; but on
this scandalous Behaviour, after my late Kindness to him, I resolved to
do nothing more for his Advantage but what my Contract bound me to;
and the more since he has quite left off visiting me, under the Pretence
of some high words that passed between him and Signor GiardilliJlJ

" 1755: 12, 19,26, 29 April; 3,6,10,13,16,20,24, 27 M~y; 7 June.

u. 1755: 9, 13, 16, 20, 27, 30 December. 1756: 3, 10, 13, 17,20, 24, 27, 31 January; 3, 7
february; 3, 27, 29 April; 1 M~y . MClastasio's texl of DClllo/oollte was first sct by Antonio
Caldara (c. 1670-1 736) for Vienna; its premiere took pl~ce ~t the Hortheater in 1733.
» 1755: 29 November, 2, 6 December.
,.. Mctastasio's text, one of his most popul~r, was first set by Cald~r~ in 1733; settings
before this date inlcude those by Leo, Corradini, Fiorillo, Galuppi and Lampugnani, any
one of whidl Mingotti could alre~dy have encountered.
,. 1756: 17,21 february; 6, 9, 13, 20,23, 27 M~rch; 6 April. Metastasio's text of L'Olilllpiadr
was first set by Antonio Caldar~ for Vienna; its premiere took place at the Hoftheater in
1733.
)0 The Italian violinist, Felice Gia rdini (1716-96) arrived in London, appearing first at
Cuzzoni's benefit on 27 April 1751. He had a career as a solo violinist, married (brieOy) the
soprano Maria Vestris (1726-1808), and in 1754 took charge of the King's 'Ineatre band.
He and Mingotti clearly formed ~n alliance that was both personal and profeSSional, and
he became her business p~rtner for the 1756-57 opera season.

162
 Appendix 4

who, on his late visit to me, reproached him for the gross Falsities and
Calumnies he had propagated relating to me as well as him; because,
though Signor Giardilli had been so good as to compose some Airs for
the Opera's that proved very acceptable to the Audience, yet Vallneschi
made him no other Return, but to abuse him, most unjustly, with being
the Man that incensed me against him, against the Opera, and against
every Thing that did not fill VaIlI/eschi's Pockets as fast as he desired.
SUCI-I are the Wrongs and Hardships which Signor VaIlI/eschi has
hitherto suffered from the malignant and imperious MingoHi; and such
is the Candour and Veracity with which he has represented his Conduct
and mine. He has indeed been hitherto very successful in discovering
Methods to enforce his Narratives: He knows, that an Ellglish Breast
is open to Compassion, and has sometimes gained that Credit by his
Tears, which would have been denied to any other Evidence that he
could have brought. I shall leave him in full Possession of his female
Arts of Intreaty and Lamentation, which I have no need to practise in
the Maintenance of a Cause supported by Truth, Reason, and Justice.
I HAVE divided my Charge against him into Paragraphs, that it may
be more easily understood, and the Falsities more easily refuted. I call
upon him in this public Manner to vindicate himself, without any Fear
of an unjust Decision, where the Nobility and Gentry of Greal-Britain
are to be the Judges.

163