Nancy Storace - Mozart's first Susanna

Nancy Storace
(1765-1817)

Nancy Storace was an extraordinary British opera singer of Italian descent who made her debut at just eight years old. She began her career in Italy and then became a well-known and respected singer in Vienna. Some of the most prominent composers of that time wrote for her. She first introduced the character Susanna in the opera "Le nozze di Figaro" in 1786.

First success in Italy

Nancy Storace was born in London in 1765. Her mother was English and her father was an Italian who played double bass. She studied singing in Italy with the castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, for whom Mozart composed his motet "Exultate Jubilate". Nancy began her career as an opera singer in Italy in 1776 by performing at Rauzzini's "L'ali d'amore". In 1782 she sang at the premiere of the opera by Giuseppe Sarti "Fra i due litiganti il terzo gode". Shortly after that, she was offered a high salary for joining the ensemble of the Viennese Court theater, just like her colleague Francesco Benucci.

Nancy Storace

Career in Vienna

In 1783, the Austrian Emperor Joseph II founded a new opera troupe that focused on performing Italian comic opera. At that time, Nancy Storace sang in Venice. She spent four very successful years in Vienna as a member of the court theater. The best composers of that time - Mozart, Salieri, Martin y Soler - wrote for her.

The audience appreciated her the most as an interpreter of lighter and vocally simpler roles. Excellent acting skills, stage presence and musicality were her strongest qualities. She was the first singer to introduce Susanna in Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro". 

In addition, Mozart wrote the aria Nacqui all'aria trionfale from the unfinished opera "Lo sposo deluso" and the concert aria Ch'io mi scordi di te for her farewell recital. It is a grandiose aria intended for soprano and obligatory piano, in which the compassionate lyricism is combined with virtuosity in the best possible way. The first part of the aria is slower and cantabile, while the second is faster and more virtuosic. The artist's farewell recital was held in February 1787 and afterwards she went to her native London, where she continued to build a successful opera career with her brother Stephen, who was an opera composer.

Vicente Martin y Soler

Vicente Martin y Soler

When Nancy was at the height of her career, Vicente Martin y Soler, a talented Spanish composer, was active in Vienna. He achieved great success as an opera composer, although he is relatively unknown to the public today. He was born in 1754 in Valencia. His father was a tenor at the city church, where Vicente sang as a young man. He studied music in Bologna with Giovanni Battista Martini. He developed his career in Italian theaters and arrived in Vienna at the end of 1785. After Vienna, Soler was active in St. Petersburg, where he went at the invitation of Catherine the Great. Before returning to the Russian imperial capital at the end of his life, Soler also worked in London. 

As for his stay in Vienna, one opera in particular overshadowed many others and even Mozart's Figaro. Soler's tunes became so popular that they were sung on the streets. Mozart paid tribute to him by quoting a tune in his opera "Don Giovanni". The opera that celebrated Soler was called "Una cosa rara" and Nancy Storace sang the role of Lila. Almost every number in this opera became a hit, and the simplicity of the music suited Nancy perfectly, which is heard in the aria Dolce mi parve un dì.

Stephen Storace

Vocal problems

In 1765, Nancy lost her voice due to a nervous breakdown and never seemed to fully recover afterwards. It happened during an opera production written by her brother Steven Storace. Tenor Michael Kelly wrote in his memoires what happened to Nancy. During first act, Nancy suddenly lost her voice and could not utter a tone throughout the performance. A few months later, after Nancy's return to the stage, Mozart and Salieri jointly co-wrote solo cantata Per la ricuperata salute di Ofelia, which was recently discovered and reconstructed.

Nancy Storace

Return to London

Nancy went to London in 1787 and continued to perform. She also renewed her friendship with Joseph Haydn, who successfully presented his works in London on several occasions in the 1790s. Nancy sang several times in concerts where Haydn's music has been performed. One of the most important was the concert when the composer was awarded the Doctoral title of Oxford University. Nancy's friendship with Haydn dates back to days she spent in Vienna. In 1784, she sang a solo role in the composer's oratorio Il trionfo di Tobia.

Nancy Storace

Nancy's contribution

Although music history is mainly about male musicians, it is important to remember female artists like Nancy Storace. It was very rare during this period for a British singer to gain such recognition in the opera world, which was then dominated by Italian artists. Nancy's success paved the way for other singers. In the century following her death, many more British singers have built successful careers in opera.