Dates

• Existence: 1843 - 1919

Biography

In 1853, 10 years old Patti began a tour of the USA as a child prodigy singer. On this tour, she was accompanied by her brother-in-law, Maurice Strakosch, and the violinist Ole Bull. She made her stage début in 1859 at the New York Academy of Music, in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor, which she had studied with the conductor Emmanuele Muzio. This was just the first in a long line of performances spanning the rest of her life. She made her Paris début at the Théâtre Italien in 1862 and her first appearance in Vienna at the Carltheater in 1863, on both occasions as Amina. At Covent Garden In 1876 she performed as London’s first Aida, and she made her début at La Scala in La traviata in 1877. After 20 years in Europe she finally returned to the United States. From her home in New York, she frequently traveled to London and back for the majority of the rest of her life. Her final American tour opened at Carnegie Hall, New York, on 4 November 1903, and her official London farewell took place at the Albert Hall on 1 December 1906, but she continued to take part in charity concerts until 1914.