Catherine Tofts

Catherine Tofts or Katherine Tofts (c. 1685–1756)^[1] was the first English singer who sang Italian opera in England.^[2]

Catherine Tofts (in white), Margherita de l'Épine (with a red muff) and some opera musicians
(Rehearsal of an opera, by Marco Ricci, ca. 1709).

Life

Tofts began her career as a concert soprano in 1703 and joined the roster of principal sopranos at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1704.^[1] Around this time, the competition between Tofts and Margherita de l'Épine was in earnest. Perhaps to illustrate the famed rivalry, Marco Ricci painted L'Épine with her back to Tofts, in the composition Rehearsal of an opera (c.1709) .^[3]

Jonathan Swift has a short poem about Mrs Tofts in his "works" which talks of her beauty. It is thought however that the verse was written by Alexander Pope.^[4]

Tofts quit the stage in 1709 and married Joseph Smith, English consul at Venice.^[2] They had a son but he died when still a child and Catherine became mentally ill. She died in 1756 and her husband married again the following year.^[5]