Lugia polzelli haydn biography

Italian opera singer

Luigia Polzelli (also Polcelli; c. – 5 October ) was an Italian mezzo-soprano, who sang at the Esterházy court in Hungary during the late 18th century.

She was for a number of years the lover of the composer Joseph Haydn.

Early years

Luigia Polzelli was born Luigia Moreschi in Naples sometime around She married the violinist Antonio Polzelli some time before The couple apparently lived in Bologna.^[1]

Relationship with Haydn

Luigia arrived at the Esterházy court with her husband Antonio in ; both had two-year contracts.

Lugia polzelli haydn biography wikipedia

Luigia was nineteen years old at the time.^[2] Polzelli soon turned out not to be a particularly able singer. Moreover, her husband had difficulties in fulfilling his duties as a violinist, as he was in the initial stages of a long drawn out demise from tuberculosis.

The reigning prince, Nikolaus Esterházy, was a great connoisseur of opera who was well acquainted with high-quality singing, and reco