Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/147

TODI. and was far more warmly received than upon her first visit. With the exception of six months in Russia, she remained at Berlin till 1789, achieving her greatest triumphs in Reichardt's 'Andromeda' and Neumann's 'Medea.' In March 1789 she reappeared in Paris, and among other things sang a scena composed for her by Cherubini, 'Sarete alfin contenti,' eliciting much enthusiasm. After a year's visit to Hanover she proceeded to Italy, and sang with great success. In 1792 she returned to Lisbon, where she died October 1, 1833.

It is strange that Todi should have made no impression in this country, for there seems no doubt that she was one of the best singers of her time, equal in many respects, superior in some, to Mara, who was much admired here. Lord Mount-Edgecumbe speaks of her as having 'failed to please here,' and Burney, later in her career, writes of her, 'she must have improved very much since she was in England, or we treated her very unworthily, for, though her voice was thought to be feeble and seldom in tune while she was here, she has since been extremely admired in France, Spain, Russia, and Germany, as a most touching and exquisite performer.'

There is a pretty and scarce portrait of her in character, singing, called 'L'Euterpe del Secolo XVIII' (1791). She was twice married, and left to her husband and her eight children, who survived her, a sum of 400,000 francs, besides jewels and trinkets worth a fortune. [ F. A. M. ]

TOD JESU, DER, i.e. the Death of Jesus—the 'Messiah' of Germany, a 'Passions-Cantate,' words by Rainier, music by ../Graun/. It was first performed in the Cathedral of Berlin, on Wednesday before Easter, March 26, 1755, and took such hold as to become an essential part of the Passion week at Berlin. It is still given there at least twice a year. In England I can find no record of its complete performance. There are three editions of the full score—1760, 1766, 1810; and PF. arrangements without number, beginning with one by J. Adam Hiller, 1783, and ending with one in Novello's 8vo. series. [ G. ]

TOFTS,, 'little inferior, either for her voice or her manner, to the best Italian women,' was the first of English birth who sang Italian Opera in England. A subscription concert was instituted in November 1703 at the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where Mrs. Tofts sang several songs, both Italian and English. In the following year she continued to sing at the 'Subscription Music.' On January 29, Margherita de l'Epine sang for the first time, at Drury Lane. On the second appearance of this, Tofts's future rival, a disturbance occurred at the Theatre, while she was singing, which 'was suspected to have been created by her emissaries,' a suggestion which she denied in the 'Daily Courant,' Feb. 8, 1704. In the same year she sang and played the part of Pallas in Weldon's 'Judgment of Paris.'

In 1705 came the first attempt to plant Italian, or pseudo-Italian, Opera in England; and to the success of this endeavour Mrs. Tofts and her rival were the chief contributors, the former playing successively the chief parts in Arsinoe,' 'Camilla,' 'Rosamond,' 'Thomyris,' and 'Love's Triumph.' 'Mrs. Tofts, who took her first grounds of musick here in her own country, before the Italian taste had so highly prevailed, was then not an adept in it; yet whatever defect the fashionably skilful might find in her manner, she had, in the general sense of her spectators, charms that few of the most learned singers ever arrive at. The beauty of her fine proportioned figure, and the exquisitely sweet, silver tone of her voice, with that peculiar rapid swiftness of her throat, were perfections not to be imitated by art or labour.' At a very early stage of her short but brilliant career, she drew a salary of £500, higher than that which was paid to any other member of the company,—a sure test of the estimation in which she was held by the management and the public: at the same time, Valentini and de l'Epine only drew £400 apiece, and the Baroness, £200. At another time, this salary was commuted into a share in the profits of the theatre. Again, we find her offering to sing for 20 guineas a night, or 'in consideration the year is so far advanced' for 400 guineas till the 1st of July, provided she was allowed to sing in another play, to be produced elsewhere, if not on an opera night. These were high terms in 1708. She sang also at the concerts at Court. Meanwhile, she was no stranger to the quarrels and disputes which seem to have prevailed at the Opera then as in later times. There was a warm correspondence about a bill of 80 guineas, for Camilla's dress, which Rich declined to pay; but Camilla refused to appear in 'Thomyris' till it was paid; and Rich then compromised the matter. She further demanded an allowance for 'locks for hair, Jewells, ribbons, muslin for vails, gloves, shoes, washing of vails, etc.,' for which she modestly affirmed that '£100 was not sufficient for the season.'

Were it not that similar complaints and demands were common from other singers, there would seem to be here some foundation for the charge brought against Mrs. Tofts in the epigram, attributed to Pope:—

She must however have had a great passion for money, and a great disregard of the means of raising it, if Lady Wentworth's contemporary account may be trusted. 'Mrs. Taufs,' says that delightful writer and most eccentric speller, 'was on Sunday last at the Duke of Somerset's, where there were about thirty gentlemen, and every kiss was one guinea; some took three, others four, others five at that rate, but none less than one.' 