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Francesca
Cuzzoni (1698-1770) was the original Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio
Cesare in Egitto, and made a career of singing Handel. However,
relations were not that smooth between Maestro and Diva. For
Cuzzoni's London debut, Handel composed the continuo aria "Falsa
Imagine" for her to sing, but she refused, declaring it too
"simple." Handel responded with "Madam, I know you
are a veritable devil, but I would have you know that I am Beelzebub,
chief of the Devils!" And with that, he picked her up by the
waist and threatened to throw her out the window. Needless to say,
she agreed to sing the aria. La Cuzzoni was imprisoned twice for
debt, and after two failed comeback concerts, she spent her last years in
Bologna sewing buttons, her voice in ruins. |
