Francesca Lebrun. The soprano and composer, exact contemporary of Mozart, older sister of composer Franz Danzi. But so much more than that, just like Fanny Mendelssohn-sister of Felix. Only now starting to be rediscovered.
She was born Franziska Danzi in 1756 into a musical family, the first child of a cellist and dancer who were core performers at the Mannheim court. She made her debut there, singing, age 16; and was immediately appointed house virtuoso taking all the principal roles at the Mannheim opera – many of them composed especially for her voice. Which was by all accounts astonishing. She could reach a top A three octaves above middle C with perfect clarity and ease. And invitations followed. In 1777, John Christian Bach engaged her for his operas in London. In '78, she was the female lead for the first opening night of the new La Scala in Milan. In '79, she created a sensation in Paris. In 1780, she headlined two seasons back in London. Mozart engaged her for a concert in Vienna, Gainsborough painted her portrait, and by the end of the decade she had conquered every opera house in Europe – including Dresden, Munich, Naples, Berlin.
And she was also composing. Married, by then, to the composer and oboist Ludwig August Lebrun, she published her Opus 1 violin sonatas in London. Then an Opus 2. And who knows what might have followed but in 1790, Lebrun suddenly died. And she followed him only five months later at the age of 35.
So all we are left with are her twelve sonatas, and her portrait, and contemporary depictions of her extraordinary voice
Francesca Lebrun (1756 – 1791)
MUSIC: Sonata in C, Op.1 no.5
Dana Maiben, violin: Monica Jakuc, fortepiano
Presented by Anna Clyne
Written and produced by Charlotte Wilson for WMHT
