ABSTRACT
Rauzzini used his celebrity to establish the career of his student, Caterina Schindlerin (1753–1788), but this ultimately led to his first public scandal in Britain, and the failure of Schindlerin’s London-based career. Despite this, Rauzzini continued to use his influence as a leading man, securing principal roles for another student, a young singer, Anna (Nancy) Selina Storace (1765–1817). She made her theatrical debut at the age of eleven under the tutelage of Rauzzini, performing a minor role in her master’s opera, solos at the Winchester Music Festival and as a lead singer in Samuel Arnold’s (1740–1802) oratorio concert series performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. It was unusual for such a young singer to be engaged as a regular performer for the oratorio series and, as a result, there were conflicting opinions about the appropriateness of Storace’s experience, maturity and vocal ability. This chapter considers why Rauzzini would use his celebrity to establish the careers of these two students, pointing out that his determination to ensure their success may have been driven by his own ambition to be recognised as a successful vocal master.
