Francesco Bernardi

 

 

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/object/Portret-van-Francesco-Bernardino-Visconti--f250c26e9188cb6686d70be2d6cffad7 

 https://archive.org/details/17778571998888bsb-11384147/page/306/mode/1up?q=Thomas

https://archive.org/stream/17778571998888bsb-11384147/17778571998888bsb11384147_djvu.txt 

https://archive.li/lWb2D 

FRANCESCO BERNARDO SENIZSINO. 


Pscce BERNARDO SENESINO, anative of Sienna, as his fur- 
name imports, was a finger in the opera at Drefden in the year 
1719, at the fame time with Signora Margarita Duraftanti. In 
confequence of his engagement with the dire@tors of the academy,. 7 
Mr. Handel went to Drefden, and entered into a contract with, 


both thefe perfons, as alfo with Berenftadt, to fing in the opera at 
London, 


Chap.2, AND PRACTICE OF MUSIC. 307 


London, the former at a falary of fifteen hundred pounds for the fea- 
fon. Senefino had a very fine even-toned voice, but of rather a nar- 
row compafs; fome called it a mezzo foprano, others a contralto, it 
was neverthelefs wonderfully flexible: Befides this he was a graceful 
actor, and in the pronunciation of recitative had not his fellow in 
Europe. His firft appearance was in the opera of Mutius Scevola, 
reprefented in the year 1721. 

It has been already mentioned, that notwithftanding Senefino was 
fo excellent and ufeful a finger, as to be in a great meafure the fup- 
port of the opera, Handel and he agreed but ill together; and that 
a fhort time after the arrival of Fauftina, the difputes among the 
fingers rofe to fuch a height, as threatened the ruin of the opera. 
Handel fufpected that the example of Senefino had given encourage- 
ment to that refractory {pirit which he found rifing in the two con- 
tending females; and being determined to ftrike at the root of the 
evil, he propofed to the directors to difcard Senefino; but they re- 
fufing to confent, Handel refufed alfo to compofe for him any longer, 
or indeed to have any further concern with him, A year or two af- 
terwards the academy broke up, after having flourifhed for more 
than nine years. 

The academy being thus diffolved, fome of the nobility raifed a 
new fub{cription for an opera at Lincoln’s-Inn fields, in which Por- 
pora was engaged to compofe, and Senefino to fing. The fuccefs of 
this undertaking will be the fubje& of a future page; Senefino con- 
tinued in the fervice of the nobility, finging at Lincoln’s-Inn fields 
theatre, and afterwards at the Haymarket, which Handel had quitted, 
till about the year 1735, when, having acquired the fum of fifteen 
thoufand pounds, he retired to Sienna, the place of his nativity, and 
built 2 handfome houfe, which, upon his deceafe, he bequeathed, 
together with the whole of his fortune, to his relations. 

Signora MARGARITA DuRASTANTI was engaged by Mr. Han- 
del at the fame time with Senefino, and came with him into England, 
She fung in the operas compofed by Handel, Bononcini, and Attilio, 
till the year 1723. For the reafon of her quitting England we 
are to feek, unlefs we may fuppofe that the applaufe beftowed 
on Cuzzoni, who appeared on the ftage for two or three winters 
with her, was more than fhe could bear. However fhe made a 
handfome retreat, and, as it feems, took a formal leave of the Englifh 
nation by finging on the flage a fong written for her in hafte by Mr. 

Nona Pope, 


308 HISTORY OF THE SCIENCE BookIV 


Pope, at the earneft requeft of the earl of Peterborough, which, to- 
gether with a burlefque of it by Dr. Arbuthnot, were lately printed in 
fome of the public papers from a volume of poems among the Harleian 
manufcripts in the Britifh Mufeum. Both poems are here inferted. 


Generous, gay, and gallant nation, 

Bold in arms, and bright in arts ; 
Land fecure from all invafion, 

All but Cupid’s gentle darts! 
From your charms, oh who would run? 
Who would leave you for the fun? 


Happy foil, adieu, adieu! 
Let old charmers yield to new. 
In arms, in arts, be {till more fhining ; 
All your joys be ftill encreafing ; 
All your taftes be {till refining ; 
All your jars for ever ceafing : 
But let old charmers yield to new : 
Happy foil, adieu, adieu! 


Puppies, whom I now am leaving, 
Merry fometimes, always mad, 
Who lavifh moft when debts are craving, 
On fool, and farce, and mafquerade ! 
Who would not from fuch bubbles run, 
And leave fuch bleflings for the fun ? 


Happy foil, and fimple crew ! 

Let old tharpers yield to new ; 
All your taftes be ftill refining ; 
All your nonfenfe ftill more fhining : 
Bleft in fome Berenftadt or Bofchi, 
He more aukward, he more hufky ; 
And never want, when thefe are loft t’us, 
Another Heidegger and Fauftus. 

Happy foil, and fimple crew ! 

Let old tharpers yield to new ! 

Bubbles all, adieu, adieu! 


rs Hy, | 


Chap.2i AND PRACTICE OF MUSIC, 409 


\ FRANCESCA CUZZONI SANDONI, 


« 


. 


FRANCESCA CuzzonI SANDONI, a native of Parma, became a 
finger in the opera at London foon after the arrival of Senefino; for 
it appears that the fung in the opera of Otho, which was performed 
in the year 1722. She continued to fing the principal fongs till the 
year 1726, when Fauftina arrived, and becoming a competitor with 
her for the public favour, gave rife to a conteft, which more properly 
belongs to the next article.  

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https://digital.onb.ac.at/rep/osd/?10F635B1 

Bernardi, Francesco

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Bernardi, Francesco, 1680-1750 [Abgebildet] 

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