TONNELLIER, Annie [MILNER, Ann] (b Scholes, nr Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, 3 April 1835; d 13 Queen’s Square, Leeds, 3 March 1901)

This chapter presents a biography of mid- to late-19th-century Victorian vocalist Annie Tonnellier. One of the finest English sopranos of her generation, Annie Milner chose, for personal reasons, to spend almost the whole of her career performing in touring opera companies and in provincial oratorios and music halls. On 3 May 1852 she staged a concert of her own at the Leeds Music Hall, billed as a pupil of both Mr Bowling and Mrs Wood. At Christmas of 1852 she made her first appearance in Manchester, singing the soprano music of Messiah, alongside Martha Williams, Perring, Delevanti and Weiss, before an audience of over 4,000. On 14 April 1854 she again sang the soprano music 'in a very pleasing and artistic manner' in Messiah at Bradford, alongside Miss Freeman, George Inkersall and Mr Jackman. In May 1855, Henry Cooper and Annie Milner ventured into London, and Cooper mounted a series of evening concerts at 27 Queen Anne Street, featuring them.