Rosa Mariani

Rosa Mariani (1799–1864)^[1] was an Italian coloratura contralto opera singer who was born and died in Cremona, Italy. She made her stage debut there in 1818.^[2]

Portrait by Giovanni Carnovali

She played Isaura in the 1820 premiere of Giacomo Meyerbeer's Margherita d'Anjou (in La Scala)^[3] and in 1823 performed the role of Arsace in the premiere of Rossini's Semiramide at the Teatro La Fenice opera house in Venice.^[2] She was the older sister of bass Luciano Mariani, who played Oroe in the original production of Semiramide, and with whom she toured Italy.^[2] In 1832, the siblings performed in London's King's Theatre.^[2] (As announced by theater proprietor Thomas Monck Mason at the time.^[4])