Caterina Galli

Caterina Galli was an Italian mezzo-soprano, probably born in Cremona around 1723 and died in Chelsea in December 1804. Her career was centred mainly on London, where she became one of the female voices most closely associated with Handel's oratorios. She is of interest both for her repertoire and for the fact that she almost always sang male roles, which was common on the stage of the period.

Her career began in Bergamo in 1742, and that same year she was engaged for the Italian opera season of 1742–1743 in London at the King's Theatre, where she sang male roles in four operas. Her name became established, however, in Handel's oratorio seasons at Covent Garden between 1747 and 1754. On 1 April 1747 she took part in the premiere of Judas Maccabaeus and triumphed with the aria 'Tis liberty alone', to the extent that, according to Burney, it was encored every night, and for some time she held considerable standing among singers. Handel wrote parts for her in Joshua, Alexander Balus, Susanna, Solomon, Theodora and Jephtha, and probably also in The Choice of Hercules. She also took part in many revivals, among them Messiah, Samson, Hercules, Saul and Belshazzar, in which she continued to sing mainly male parts.

She combined these engagements with opera, charity work and singing teaching. Among her pupils was Lady Caroline Russell, who at the age of ten dedicated a caricature of her on the reverse of a programme, the only surviving portrait of her. In 1754 she left England and for about fifteen years performed in cities in northern Italy, in Naples and in Prague. She returned to London in 1773 and remained there until her death, singing again in oratorios, at the Bach-Abel concerts and at the King's Theatre. After retiring she worked as companion to the actress Martha Ray, and was present when Ray was murdered by a clergyman obsessed with her in 1779. In her final years she relied on the help of friends and on an annual allowance from the Royal Society of Musicians.

Her legacy lies somewhere between direct testimony and legend. Her obituary described her as Handel's last pupil, although it is qualified that she was not a regular pupil but was largely formed under his influence. Her range extended from the A to the high F, with occasional high G, and one of her songs, 'When first I saw thee graceful move', was published around 1750 and frequently reissued.