Co-stars & Rivals:  M A R I A N N A B U L G A R E L L IStage name: La RomaninaBorn:16

Co-stars & Rivals:  M A R I A N N A B U L G A R E L L IStage name: La RomaninaBorn: 1684 Died: 26 February 1734 Voice: sopranoPersonality: Marianna Bulgarelli, also known as Maria Anna Benti, was an Italian soprano of the 18th century. Bulgarelli was born and died in Rome; hence her nickname, “La Romanina.” She was a popular and successful singer of opera seria, renowned for her acting ability in particular. The singer is best remembered as a patron of the youthful Metastasio, whose work she encouraged and helped to develop. At her request Metastasio gave up the law and composed his first melodramma, a lyric tragedy in three acts on the conflict of love and duty, called Didone abbandonata (1723, first performance 1724). In Bulgarelli’s salon Metastasio formed his lifelong friendship with the castrato male soprano Farinelli and came to know such composers as Nicola Porpora (from whom he took music lessons), Domenico Sarro, and Leonardo Vinci, who were later to set his works to music. Meanwhile La Romanina was growing older; she had ceased to sing in public; and the poet felt himself more and more dependent in an irksome sense upon her kindness. In September 1729 he received the offer of the post of court poet to the theater at Vienna. La Romanina unselfishly sped him on his way to glory. She took the charge of his family in Rome; and he set off for Austria. Bulgarelli probably died suddenly upon the road from Rome to Vienna in 1734, after reading Metastasio’s letter that dissuaded her from the projected visit in Austria. All we know is that she left him her fortune after her husband’s life interest in it had expired, and that Metastasio, overwhelmed with grief and remorse, immediately renounced the legacy. This disinterested act plunged the Bulgarelli-Metastasio household at Rome into confusion. La Romanina’s widower married again. Leopoldo Trapassi, and his father and sister, were thrown upon their own resources.One fact: In honour of the birthday of the Empress of Austria, Metastasio composed Gli orti esperidi (1721), but kept his authorship secret. Gli orti esperidi, which was set to music by Nicola Porpora, and sung by Porpora’s pupil, the castrato Farinelli, won the most enthusiastic applause. The Roman prima donna, Marianna Bulgarelli, who played Venus in this serenata, spared no pains until she had discovered its author. and soon became enamoured of the poet. One quote: La Romanina was a great actress, and Metastasio himself learned from her the most admirable theatrical situations, such as that of jealousy in scenes XIV and XV of the second act of Didone, which weer entirely the invention of the singer (Saverio Mattei)One hit:  Son fra l'onde in mezzo al mare   (Gli orti esperidi) -- source link

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