Hasse, Faustina (née Bordoni)

Hasse, Faustina (née Bordoni), famous Italian mezzo-soprano; b. Venice, c. 1700; d. there, Nov. 4, 1781. She found patrons in Alessandro and Benedetto Marcello, who entrusted her vocal training to M. Gasparini. She made her debut in Pollarolo’s Ariodante in Venice in 1716, and then entered the service of the Elector Palatine. In addition to appearances in Venice until 1725, she also sang in Reggio (1719), Modena (1720), Bologna (1721–22), Naples (1721–23), and Rome (1722). She made her first appearance in Germany in P. Torri’s Griselda in Munich in 1723 with notable success, returning in 1724, 1728, and 1729. She created a number of roles in operas by Handel, including Rossane in Alessandro (London debut, May 5, 1726), Alcestis in Ameto (Jan. 31, 1727), Pulcheria in Riccardo Primo (Nov. 11, 1727), Emira in Siroe (Feb. 17, 1728), and Elisa in Tolomeo (April 30, 1728). Her rivalry with Cuzzoni became a public scandal, culminating in a physical altercation during a performance of Astianatte on June 6, 1727. Her other performances were in Florence (1728–29), Parma (1729–30), Turin (1729, 1731), Venice (1729–32), Milan (1730), and Rome (1731). She sang in the premieres of Johann Adolf Hasse’s Dalisa and Arminio in Venice in 1730, and married the composer that same year. Her career thereafter was closely related to her husband’s, and she frequently appeared in his operatic and concert works. In 1731 they were called to the Saxon court in Dresden, where she became prima donna assoluta and her husband Kapellmeister; she also made frequent visits to Italy to sing in the principal music centers. She made her farewell stage appearance in the premiere performance of her husband’s Ciro riconosciuto in Dresden on Jan. 20, 1751. She continued to receive her salary of 3, 000 thaler and retained her title of virtuosa da camera until 1763, when she and her husband were dismissed by the new elector. They lived in Vienna until 1773, and then retired to Venice. According to contemporary accounts, she possessed one of the finest voices of the day. She also possessed great physical beauty, which greatly enhanced her dramatic gifts.

Bibliography

A. Niggli, F B.-H. (Leipzig, 1880); M. Hogg, Die Gesangskunst der F. H. und das Sängerinnenwesen ihrer Zeit in Deutschland (Berlin, 1931).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire