Madame Sinico

A carte-de-visite portrait of the soprano Madame Sinico, later known as Madame Campobello or sometimes as Madame Sinico-Campbello.

According to George Grove’s A Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1890), her maiden name was Clarice Marini and she made her debut in England on 17 May 1864 as Violetta at Her Majesty’s. The same source continues: ‘For many years she was engaged at one or other of the London opera-houses, and was remarkable for her efficient presentment of smaller operatic parts, and her ability to play principal characters at a moment's notice. She had a nice high soprano voice. Her repertoire included Donna Elvira, Susanna, Isabella, Margaret of Valois, Adalgisa, Anne Page, Elvira (Masaniello), Mathilde, Neris (Cherubini's Medee), Papagena (Zauberflote), Annetta (Der Freischiitz), Blonde (Seraglio), the Queen (Hamlet), Jane Seymour (Anna Bolena), etc. In 1879 she played at Her Majesty's, but of late has been rarely seen in opera in London. She is well known as an oratorio and concert singer; in 1874 she sang at the Handel Festival, and is also very popular in the provinces. The above refers to her performances in England, but she has also sung at St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, and elsewhere. She is pre-eminently a useful singer. On May 2, 1874, she married Mr. Henry McLean Martin, a favourite baritone singer, known under his professional name of Campobello.

She died in Lambeth in June 1909. According to a short obituary in the Sheffield Independent (28 June 1909): 'Madame Sinico died last week. She was formerly of the Royal Italian Company, and was aged 71. Madame Sinico was a prominent member of the greatest of Italian opera companies in the days when grand opera was taken very seriously indeed. Madame Sinico reigned in the days of Titiens, and the older Mapleson. With Titiens, Trebelli-Bettini, Foli, Santley, Bettini, and Campobello, she was one of the most popular members of a company which presented the great operas of those days as they had never before been played, and as they are never likely to be played again.'

Photographed by John Mayall of London and Brighton.