Elisabetta de Gambarini

Elisabetta de Gambarini was born in London in 1730 or 1731. Her father was an Italian nobleman from Lucca, in Tuscany, who had come to England and collected paintings. She was the only one of their four children who lived to grow up.

At 15 she began to sing for Handel, the most famous composer in London, who was 45 years older. It is said that he first heard her sing at his own house. In 1747 she sang in the first performance of his oratorio Judas Maccabaeus, a long religious work for singers and orchestra.

In 1748, at 17, she organised her own concert at a London theatre. She sang, and she played her own music on the organ. She sold the tickets at her home. In the same year she paid to print two books of her own music. She was the first woman in Britain to publish a book of music for the harpsichord. Handel was one of the people who paid for a copy in advance. Behold, Behold and Listen comes from one of these books.

For about ten years after that, nothing is known of her as a musician. In 1761 she came back with a new concert of her own music. The famous Italian violinist Geminiani lent her his newest piece for it.

In 1764 she married a Frenchman, and she had a daughter. She died in London in February 1765, in her early thirties.

In her time it was very rare for a woman to sing, play, compose and organise her own concerts. Gambarini did all four, and she began at 17. In 2026 a London orchestra gave a whole concert of her music.