Marie Carandini

Marie Carandini, Marchioness of Sarzano (born Maria Burgess; 1 February 1826 – 13 April 1894) was an English-Australian opera singer.

Early life Maria Burgess was born in Brixton, Surrey, in 1826. She was the daughter of coachman James Burgess (died 1835) and Martha Burgess ( Medwin). an Italian marquis. She has the distinction of having been Australia's first Adalgisa in Bellini's opera Norma (1852, Royal Victoria Theatre, Sydney) beside the Norma of Sara Flower. In November 1858 Carandini sang Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore in a twenty-seven performance season at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. The Carandini troupe performed what may have been New Zealand's first full opera production when they performed Henry Bishop's Guy Mannering at Dunedin's Princess Theatre in September 1862.

Carandini's last Australian appearance was in farewell concert on 3 February 1892 at the Melbourne Town Hall; she sang "Jessie the flower of Dumblane" with a strong voice for her age. . Her eldest daughter Rosina Palmer was a notable Australian soprano, while daughter Fanny was also a well-known singer; she married Sir Henry Morland.

Carandini's great-grandson (by Frank's daughter and her granddaughter, Countess Estelle Marie (née Carandini di Sarzano); (1889–1981) was the actor Sir Christopher Lee. His niece and her great-great-granddaughter is Dame Harriet Walter. Another great-granddaughter is the actress Hermione Hannen, granddaughter of her daughter Fanny.

Legacy

A street in the Canberra suburb of Melba is named in her honour.