Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington: 07/06/2009

Thursday, 11 June 2009

Handel Without Tears

There’s been a lack of blogs lately thanks to RSI in my right wrist (one of the occupational hazards of journalism) but after a stern talking-to from the doctor, I’ve promised to mend my ways with proper posture etc. Anyway, this is a quick recommendation for a wonderful DVD we watched the other weekend – David McVicar’s production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare for Glyndebourne Festival Opera. We were both kind of dreading hours of da capo arias, but having read this review, we faced our fears, and found this to be a superbly dramatic production, more alive than any Handel we’ve heard, and with some gorgeous singing from the likes of Sarah Connolly and Angelika Kirchschlager. This was a warm-up for our impending trip to Drottningholm for Ariodante, where we’ll finally get to see a Handel opera fully staged.

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Who was Mrs Woffington?

Virtually forgotten today, Margaret Woffington (also known as Peg or Peggy) would rise from humble origins to become one of Georgian London’s most famous actresses, sharing the stage with the likes of David Garrick and excelling in so-called ‘breeches roles’. Born around the year 1720 in Dublin, her childhood years were marred by the death of her father, which plunged her family into poverty. Having reputedly sold watercress barefoot in the streets of the Irish capital, she was soon talent-spotted by a tumbler known as Violante, who staged populist entertainments in booths around the city. Violante had a troupe of child actors called the Liliputians, and before long Woffington was making her debut as Polly Peachum in their version of The Beggar’s Opera. Moving to London, she gained plaudits for both her outstanding beauty and her talent – particularly in comedy – appearing at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane. Known for her quick wit and no-nonsense attitude, she had high-profile affairs with Garrick, Lord Darnley and Charles Hanbury Williams; she was also a generous benefactor, supporting her elderly mother and may even have endowed some almshouses in Teddington, where she had settled at the height of her success. She died, unmarried, in 1760, having suffered a long wasting illness, and is buried in Teddington's parish church of St Mary’s.

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