Harriet Wainwright Stewart (c. 1766–1843) was a British composer, singer, and writer. A musical entrepreneur, she developed a subscription list of several hundred people and sold at least two of her compositions (''Comala'' and ''Seringapatam'') to subscribers.

Early Years

Wainwright's father was Liverpool musician Robert Wainwright. Her teachers included Dr. Richard Woodward, organist of Christ Church, Dublin, and John Worgan, a London organist known for his performances at Vauxhall Gardens. She moved to London in the 1780s, where she socialized with music historian

Charles Burney Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) was an English music historian, composer and musician. He was the father of the writers Frances Burney and Sarah Burney, of the explorer James Burney, and of Charles Burney, a classicist a ...

, who commented that he knew of no female contrapuntist in Europe who could surpass Wainwright. Wainwright's opera ''Comala'' was performed at Hanover Square in London on 26 January 1792. Sophia Corri and

James Bartleman James Karl Bartleman (born 24 December 1939) is a former Canadian diplomat and author who served as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2002 to 2007. Bartleman grew up in the Muskoka town of Port Carling, and he is a member of the ...

sang the leads. Six boys from the choir at Westminster Abbey were the chorus, coached by the Abbey organist Dr. Benjamin Cooke. Composers Ignaz Pleyel and

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

attended the performance and praised the opera. Wainwright sold copies of the score to her subscription list.

India

Wainwright moved to Calcutta, India, in 1796. In 1801, she married Captain John Stewart of the East India Company's Bengal Army, who eventually became a lieutenant colonel. She continued to publish her compositions under the name "Wainwright." ''Comala'' was performed in India with Wainwright singing the main role. Richard, Marquis of Wellesley, Governor of India, published an "appreciation" of the work in the ''Calcutta Post'' on 27 April 1804. An unidentified admirer sent Wainwright a poem about the British victory at Seringapatam (see

Srirangapatna Srirangapatna is a town and headquarters of one of the seven Tehsil, Taluks of Mandya district, in the Indian States and territories of India, State of Karnataka. It gets its name from the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna, Ranganthaswamy ...

), and suggested that she set it to music. The chorus she composed based on this poem was also sold to her subscription list.

Later years

The Stewarts left India in 1811 and were living in Perth, Scotland, when John died in 1820. Wainwright eventually moved back to London, where she published ''Critical Remarks on the Art of Singing'' in 1836 and her will was filed in 1843. Wainwright's music was published by Cianchettini and William Napier. Several of her manuscripts are archived at the British Library. Her compositions included:

Opera

*''Comala'' (text by Ossian) *''Don Quixote''

Vocal

*''Collection of Songs: Duets, Trios & Choruses'' *"Merrily, Merrily Passes the Day"'''' *''Seringapatam'' (chorus; text by William Mason)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wainwright, Harriet British women composers British opera composers British writers about music 1760s births 1843 deaths Year of birth uncertain