Marietta Alboni, Countess Pepoli (née Maria Anna Marzia) (1823-1894), Opera singer

Sitter associated with 7 portraits
Marietta Alboni was an Italian operatic contralto. While a student at Bologna, Alboni came to the attention of Rossini, later instructed her in the main contralto roles in his operas. In 1842 she made her debut as Climene in Giovanni Pacini's Saffo at Bologna, and she achieved success in Rossini's Le siège de Corinthe at La Scala in Milan. Over the next few years Alboni toured in Austria, Russia, Germany and eastern Europe. In 1847 she made sensational debuts at Covent Garden in London and at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris. She toured in Spain and the United States in 1852-3, to great acclaim. Alboni married, settled in Paris, sang at Rossini's funeral in 1868, and retired soon afterwards.