Quick Facts
Biography
Maria Gallia (incorrectly called Maria Margherita by Burney), was a British soprano.
Life
She was a sister of Margherita de l'Epine, and pupil of Nicola Haym.
She appeared for the first time at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, in 1703. She sang in 1706 and 8 in 'Camilla,' in the libretti of which she is called Joanna Maria.In the former year she also performed the principal rôle in the 'Temple of Love' by Saggione, to whom she was then married.Documents signed by this composer, and by his wife as Maria Gallia Saggione, show that they received respectively £150 and £700 for a season of nine months,—large sums at that early date.
Gallia appeared in Clayton's Rosamond at its production in 1707. She sang songs also at the Haymarket Theatre 'in Italian and English,' to strengthen the attraction.At this time she must have been very young, for we find her singing in 'Alexander Balus,' 'Joshua,' &c. in 1748; unless, indeed, her name is incorrectly put for that of Galli.