Hasse, Faustina (EN)

Hasse Faustina, nee Bordoni, *probably 1693 Venice, †4 November 1781 Venice, Italian singer (mezzo-soprano), wife of J.A. Hasse, known under her maiden name. She came from a noble family and was raised in the environment of the Venetian aristocracy. She was taught music by A. and B. Marcello, singing by M. Gasparini (at the Ospedale della Pietà) and probably A. Bernacchi. Her stage debut was in 1716 at the Teatro S. Giovanni Grisostomo in Venice (premiere of Ariodante by C.F. Pollarolo). In 1718, she appeared in the same opera as Guinevere alongside her future rival, F. Cuzzoni. In 1716–29, the title ‘serva attuale e virtuosa di camera del Serenissimo Elettore Palatino’ appeared next to the singer’s name on posters, but nothing further is known about the nature of Hasse’s relationship with this court. At the Teatro S. Giovanni Grisostomo Hasse, she also sang in 1717–21 and 1723–25, taking part in operas by T. Albinoni, A. Lotti, A. Pollarolo, A.M. Bononcini, M. Gasparini, G.M. Orlandini, G. Porta, F. Brusa, G. Giacomelli, L. Vinci. Her partners at that time included, among others, A.M. Bernacchi, M. Bulgarelli and F. Cuzzoni. Moreover, in 1718 Hasse performed in Florence, 1719 in Reggio and Milan, 1720 in Modena, 1721–22 in Bologna, 1722 in Rome, 1722–23 in Naples, 1723–24 in Munich, and 1724–25 in Parma. In April 1723, Faustina sang at a private concert in Rome at the residence of James III of England and his wife Maria Clementina Sobieska, for which she received a gold medal with images of these people. From August 1725 to March 1726, she stayed at the imperial court in Vienna, achieving success in the operas of A. Caldara and J.J. Fux and in court concerts, during which she sang, among others, in a duet with the future Empress Maria Theresa. In 1726–28, she was active in London, where she belonged – together with F. Cuzzoni and Senesino – to the Italian G.F. Haendel’s opera company. She was the first to perform roles in Handel’s operas: Alessandro (as Roxana), Admeto (as Alcestis), Rè di Tessaglia (…), Riccardo Primo (as Pulcheria), Siroe, Rè di Persia (as Elvira), Tolomeo, Rè di Egitto (as Elisa). In London, she also performed in a revival of Handel’s Radamista and in operas Lucio Vero and Teuzzone by A. Ariosti and Astianatte by G.B. Bononcini. For Hasse’s benefit (1727), Haendel composed the aria Spera si, mio caro for her, which was extremely popular in England. The rivalry between Hasse and Cuzzoni – supported by politically antagonistic groups of admirers – led to the famous scandal during Bononcini’s Astianatte (6 June 1727), when the singers came to blows on stage. Despite this, both were contracted for the next season. From London, Hasse went with Senesin to Paris, and then in 1728–30, she sang many times in Milan, Florence, Munich, Venice, Parma, Turin (including the premieres of J.A. Hasse’s operas: Dalisa in Venice and Arminia in Milan). In June 1730, she married J.A. Hasse in Venice. In 1731, she came with him to the court of the Polish king and Elector of Saxony, Augustus II the Strong in Dresden, where she appeared in the premiere of Hasse’s Cleofide. In 1731–32, she performed in Venice in the operas by L.A. Predieri, G. Giacomelli and her husband (Demetrio), and in 1732–33 in Naples in the works of L. Vinci and her husband. In 1734–51, she was the prima donna of the Italian opera company at the court of Augustus III in Dresden; she appeared in at least 15 operas by Hasse and took part in numerous court and church concerts, including being the partner of the Prussian King Frederick II. Despite the widespread opinion of her friendly nature, she was known for her dislike towards R. Mingotti, who was to replace her at the Dresden court after the end of her career. While serving at the Dresden court, Hasse travelled to Italy; in 1735, she sang in Pesaro during the premiere of Tito Vespasiano by Hasse, in 1738 and 1739 in Venice in the operas of G.B. Pergolesi, M. Monticelli and N. Porpora. In 1746, she performed at the court in Munich, and in 1750 at the court of the Dauphin of France in Paris. In total, she appeared in over 30 operas in Venice alone. She ended her stage career in January 1751 at the Dresden theatre with a role in Hasse’s Ciro riconosciuto, and her last public performance took place in March 1751 (oratorio I pellegrini al sepolcro di Nostro Signore by Hasse). In the following years, she accompanied her husband on his trip to Italy and probably also to Poland. She held the title of Kammersängerin of the Dresden court until the death of August III (1763). In 1764, she left Dresden and settled in Vienna with her husband. At the beginning of 1773, the couple settled in Venice, where Hasse spent the rest of her life.

Hasse was one of the most outstanding singers of the bel canto style. She performed only in opere serie, believing that the opera buffa style destroyed the sublime type of singing. Nature gave her a voice that was very strong and dramatic, but at the same time light; Hasse effortlessly overcame the greatest technical difficulties. Her contemporaries emphasised her excellent breathing control, perfect intonation, excellent diction and ability to properly interpret the text, as well as her unrivalled vibrato, trills and ornaments. She introduced new types of arpeggios (e.g. 16-note chromatic progressions within one bar), and her speciality was tremolo (very rapid repetition of notes of the same pitch). In her adagios, she stood out for her passion and expressiveness. In her London days, Hasse’s voice ranged from b to g2, later developing slightly downwards. Cuzzoni was superior to her rival with her beauty and acting talent. Loved especially in Italy, it was nicknamed la nuova sirena there. Sonnets were composed in her honour and medals were minted. She was painted by famous portraitists: R. Carriera, F. Hoffmann and S. Torelli.

Literature: [H. Carey] Faustina: Or the Roman Songstress, a Satyr, on the Luxury and Effeminacy of the Age, London 1726; G.B. Mancini Pensieri e riflessioni pratiche sopra il canto figurato, Vienna 1774; A. Niggli Faustina Bordoni-Hasse, Leipzig 1880; M. Högg Die Gesangskunst der Faustina Hasse und das Sängerinnenwesen ihrer Zeit in Deutschland, Berlin 1931; G.J. Buelow A Lesson in Operatic Performance Practice by Madame Faustina Bordoni, in M. Bernstein’s festschrift, New York 1977; C. Steven Larue Handel and his singers: The Creation of the Royal Academy Operas, 1720–1728  (rozdz.7 Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni: The Rival Queens), Oxford 2001; S. Apsden The Rival Sirens. Performance and Identity on Handel’s Operatic Stage, Cambridge 2013.