Francesca Lebrun
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 Francesca Lebrun, in the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Franziska Dorothea Danzi |
| Born | 24 March 1756 Mannheim, Electoral Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 14 May 1791 (aged 35) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer and composer |
| Instrument | Keyboard |
Francesca Lebrun (née Franziska Dorothea Danzi; 24 March 1756 – 14 May 1791) was a celebrated German soprano associated with the court at Mannheim, as well as an accomplished composer of sonatas. As a singer, she was renowned for her vocal dexterity and was highly sought after by such notable composers as Anton Schweitzer, Ignaz Holzbauer, and Antonio Salieri to sing the lead roles in their most challenging operas. As a composer, her twelve sonatas for piano or harpsichord with violin accompaniment, six each in opus 1 and opus 2, were first published in London, England, in 1779–1781, with further editions in London, Paris, and several German centers.[1] The opus 1 sonatas are available in commercial recordings.
- ^ New editions have been published of both op. 1 (New York: Da Capo Press, 1990) and op. 2 (Fayetteville, AR: ClarNan Editions, 2003).