Jane Shirreff
Miss Shirreff as one of the witches in Macbeth
Born1808[1][2]
Died1883 (aged 74–75)
OccupationSoprano

Jane Shirreff (1808-1883) was a British soprano opera singer. She was described as America's "most admired prima donna between the days of Mrs. Wood and those of Louisa Pyne".[3]

Early life and education

As a young woman, Shirreff taught singing and sang in church choirs.[1]

On Shirreff's debut in 1832, the newspapers reported that she was from London and that her father was a tailor.[4] She had relatives in the Royal Navy.[5] She was a pupil of Tom Welsh.[6][7]

Career

London

Shirreff was initially known as a ballad singer.[8] Her first appearance in opera was as Mandane in Artaxerxes at Drury Lane Theatre in 1831.[3][6][9] Looking back at the season the following year, The Weekly Dispatch reported that "All the phrases to be found in the puffing vocabulary were exhausted in announcing the appearance of Miss Shirreff. The display of red letters in the bills was truly alarming".[10]

She then took a contract with Covent Garden Theatre; the newspapers reported that she had been offered £80 a night by Drury Lane, and was likely to receive £100 a night at Covent Garden.[4] Her other parts included Polly in The Beggar's Opera, which was described as "peculiarly adapted for her chaste and expressive style of singing".[11] In 1832, The Age wrote that she had "saved" Covent Garden Theatre.[12] Tom Welsh acted as her agent at this stage of her career.[13]

Leander Zerbini wrote a song for her, a ballad called We Loved; or, Fortune, Titles, and Beauty, which was advertised as "Composed expressly for Miss Shirreff, who possesses the sweetness of Waylett and Stephens, soul of Love, execution of Paton, science of Pasta, and finish of Malibran".[14][15] In 1832 her portrait was engraved from a drawing by Abraham Wivell.[16]

Queen Victoria drew her in the character of Clara in Michael William Balfe's The Siege of Rochelle.[17]

Shirreff's many roles on the London stage included:

In 1836 her salary at Drury Lane was reported to be £25 per week.[23] Later the same year, Shirreff, with other women actors, spoke out against not having been paid by the theatre manager, Alfred Bunn.[24] She broke her connexion with Drury Lane early in 1837.[25]

In the summer seasons Shirreff toured to cities such as Cork or Edinburgh.[26][27]

She performed at the Concerts of Antient Music.[9]

America

In 1838 she went to America as part of a company put together by Henry John Wallack on behalf of his brother, James William Wallack, of the National Theatre, New York, with John Wilson, Arthur Seguin and Ann Childe Seguin.[3][9][28] Shirreff left an archive through which her tour can be followed.[9] Performances started at the National Theatre and the troupe then toured to Boston, Providence, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia.[9] Shirreff was unwell at times during the tour, and missed 32 performances of the total 199 because of illness.[9] The company's other productions included La sonnambula, in which Shirreff sang Amina, Fra Diavolo and Cinderella.[9] The operatic season of 1838-39 was a critical and financial success.[9] Shirreff earned $13,098 from the tour.[9] Karen Ahlquist writes that "she seems to have delighted everyone".[29] The public also valued her purity and virtue.[9][29] Hostility did develop between Shirreff and other members of the troupe, however.[9]

Following the 1838-39 season, Shirreff and Wilson organised summer concert tours in 1839 through New York State, Ohio, Michigan, and to Canada.[9] Towns and cities in which they performed included Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Buffalo, Toronto, Kingston and Montreal.[9] Shirreff's records show that she met other artistes during the tour, including Ellen Tree.[9] She travelled with her dog and her mother, as well as a friend, Mary Blundell, and they mostly used steamboats to travel between cities.[9] These summer tours went well, but when Shirreff and Wilson returned to Baltimore to begin the new operatic season, this was much less successful and has been called "an unmitigated disaster", partly because of the difficult economic climate.[9] However, Shirreff was said to have made a fortune from the American trip.[1]

She was praised for her acting as well as her voice.[9][27][30]

Personal life

Following the tour, Shirreff married and ceased to sing professionally.[3][9] Her marriage took place in June 1841 in Chelsea, London and was to Thomas Walcot.[31][32] She continued to sing in her private life.[1]

Shirreff died in December 1883.[1][33]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chat from the Capital". Liverpool Echo. 1 January 1884. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  2. ↑ "17 Holland Street, 1881 census". UK Census Online. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Joseph Norton Ireland (1867). Records of the New York Stage: From 1750 to 1860. T. H. Morrell. pp. 276–. ISBN 978-1-4047-3339-8. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Covent Garden Theatre". Derby Mercury. 7 December 1831. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "MISS SHIREFF". The Age. 11 December 1831. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Theatricals". The Age. 27 November 1831. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Concerts at Oxford". Oxford University and City Herald. 13 April 1833. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Home News". Cheltenham Journal and Gloucestershire Fashionable Weekly Gazette. 16 July 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Katherine K. Preston (1993). Opera on the Road: Traveling Opera Troupes in the United States, 1825-60. University of Illinois Press. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-252-07002-0. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Theatricals, &c". Weekly Dispatch (London). 24 June 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "MISS SHIRREFF". The Morning Post. 10 December 1831. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "Theatricals". The Age. 15 January 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021. We have said that if ever Covent-garden Theatre be saved, it must be by a woman; and it is true, for the men (who are the managers) do all they can to ruin it. It is now about six months since Miss Shirreff came to it, and kept from falling the tottering edifice. She did her duty well, but the managers have neglected theirs. Why have they not produced a new opera, and given the Lady an opportunity of shewing her talent without being ever subjected to lines being drawn between her and the whole troop of singers who have tired the Town in the old worn out Operas? More on this head as we perceive it necessary. Justice, good feeling, and best!!!
  13. ↑ "Theatricals". The Age. 22 January 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021. Mr. Welsh, we hear (notwithstanding the old adage which says, that a man between two stools is likely to fall to the ground), has been coquetting between Covent-garden and Drury-lane, to secure his pupil, Miss Shireff, a permanent engagement upon a high salary. As respects Mr. Tom himself, we shall be delighted to find him in the situation of "the biter bit ;" but we consider it a serious thing that the fame and interest of such a charming girl as Miss Shirreff should be sacrificed on the shrine of her master's rapacity. Nothing seems to satisfy Mr. Welsh, and therefore we strongly advise him to stick to his counter in Regent-street, and let his fair pupil fight her own battles, which we will answer for it will be victorious ones.
  14. ↑ "MISS SHIRREFF'S NEW SONG". The Age. 18 December 1831. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "A Nightingale in Petticoats". Reading Mercury. 16 January 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "PORTRAIT OF MISS SHIRREFF". The Morning Post. 26 March 1832. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "Miss Shirreff as Clara dated Jan 31 1836". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "Covent Garden Theatre". St James's Chronicle. 12 October 1833. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "DRAMATIC AFFAIRS". Weekly Dispatch (London). 23 November 1834. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  20. ↑ "The Theatres: Drury-Lane". The Sun (London). 6 January 1836. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  21. ↑ "Drury-Lane Theatre". London Evening Standard. 22 March 1836. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  22. ↑ "The Drama". The Morning Advertiser. 9 August 1836. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  23. ↑ "The Stage". Weekly Dispatch (London). 5 June 1836. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  24. ↑ "THE DRAMATIC MIRROR—No. XXXIII: Drury-Lane". The News (London). 18 December 1836. Retrieved 2 June 2021. The DRURY-LANE company abuse Mr. Bunn "in the rank phrase," because they know that he has not paid them—because they express their conviction that he never can pay them, and they immediately resolve to take his word that he will dc so some time or other! Miss Huddart, Miss Shirreff, and Miss Taylor spoke most spiritedly ; and if their male friends had evinced as much determination, we should have witnessed a very different result.
  25. ↑ "Drury-Lane". The Bell's New Weekly Messenger. 12 February 1837. Retrieved 2 June 2021. A great deal has been said about Miss Shirreff's abrupt termination of her engagement with Mr. Bunn. The immediate cause of this event was Miss Shirreff's refusal to perform the part of the Queen, in Mr. Barnett's forthcoming opera of Fair Rosamond. But why was Miss Shirreff cast for the Queen? It may be remembered that some time ago we noticed with commendation the spirit displayed by Miss Shirreff in refusing a proposition for a reduction of salaries; that while the male performers expressed their dissatisfaction in gentle murmurs, Miss Shirreff boldly declared she would not be a party to any such arrangement as the one proposed. The gentlemen becoming a little warmed by Miss Shirreff's fire, spoke out, and the consequence was a guarantee that what could not be paid before Christmas should be forthcoming afterwards.
  26. ↑ "Theatricals". Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail. 23 August 1834. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  27. 1 2 "RECEPTION OF MISS SHIRREFF AT EDINBURGH". Morning Advertiser. 27 July 1835. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  28. ↑ "The Drama". Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle. 8 July 1838. Retrieved 2 June 2021. Mr. James Wallack, the tragedian, is in town, making arrangements for his Theatre in the United States. He has engaged Mr. Wilson and Miss Shirreff, who signed articles on Thursday, and leave England for New York in September next. The term of absence will be for one year.
  29. 1 2 Karen Ahlquist (1997). Democracy at the Opera: Music, Theater, and Culture in New York City, 1815-60. University of Illinois Press. pp. 210–. ISBN 978-0-252-02272-2. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "Theatres". The Morning Post. 14 November 1833. Retrieved 2 June 2021. Miss Shirreff was the Page, and came off very dapperly both in her acting and singing, though her voice sounded a little of the fogs.
  31. ↑ "Married". Bristol Mercury. 26 June 1841. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  32. ↑ "MRS. WALCOT". The Bell's New Weekly Messenger. 15 October 1843. Retrieved 2 June 2021. Mrs. Walcot (whom the public will remember as Miss Shirreff, previous to her marriage with the secretary of the Clarence Club) restudying, under Signor Crivelli, and purposes, we believe, confining herself to concert singing.
  33. ↑ "Occasional Notes". Pall Mall Gazette. 31 December 1883. Retrieved 2 June 2021. We have lost within the last few days a singer who early won a great reputation on the English stage, and retired into private life just as Italian opera had reached the height of its popularity with Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache.
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