ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the reasons why Rauzzini would be branded as ‘the father of a new style in English singing’ by The Monthly Mirror. It first considers how Rauzzini became known by many of his contemporaries as the professional father to many successful, professional English opera singers. This is followed by an in-depth discussion on contemporary debates that placed the Italian and English singing styles in opposition, with critics often dissuading English singers from adopting too many Italian mannerisms. However, this advice did not reflect what proved popular in the theatre. As such, many of Rauzzini’s English singers found success because they understood how to incorporate an Italianate approach, enabling better accuracy, consistency and flexibility, while also maintaining textual clarity and feeling typical of the English style. Though, on the surface, this appeared to be a natural blending of the two styles, Rauzzini was not inventing a new pedagogy. Rather, he instilled a vocal style indicative of his own Italian singing, as revealed in his 1808 treatise. Chapter 5 will examine Rauzzini’s teaching methods specifically, but this chapter contextualises The Monthly Mirror quote and explores why he was the reportedly the ‘Father’ of a new school of English singing.
