Nicolina Giordani (1740 – after 1775), also known by the

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

La Signora Spiletta or La Spiletta, was an Italian

opera singer Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libretti ...

. A member of the Giordanis family from Naples, she was the daughter of Antonia and Giuseppe Giordani, librettist and composer, and the sister of Francesco and Marina, both singers, and

Tommaso Tommaso is an Italian given name. It has also been used as a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name A * Tommaso Acquaviva d'Aragona (1600–1672), Roman Catholic prelate * Tommaso Aldrovandini (1653–1736), Italian painter of ...

, a composer and instrumentalist. She performed in opera productions with her family's company in Northern Italy, Germany, Holland and France, before settling in London, where she was active between 1753 and 1774. She became known by her stage name after a popular performance as the character from ''Gli Amanti Gelosi''. She was described by Thomas Gray as a singer "with the utmost justness of ear, the strongest expression of countenance, the most speaking eyes, the greatest vivacy ic& variety of gesture". She also received praise by

Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole (), 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian, and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician. He had Strawb ...

, who wrote that she "beats all the actors and actresses I ever saw for vivacity and variety".

References

1740s births Year of birth missing Year of death missing 18th-century Italian women opera singers 18th-century Neapolitan people {{Italy-singer-stub