Mingotti, Regina

1728-1807

Celebrated singer of Italian opera; born of German parentage at Naples. On the death of her father she was placed in an Ursuline Convent and here received her first musical instruction, remaining until her fifteenth year. While still very young she married Mingotti, impresario of the Dresden Opera, who immediately placed her under the care of Porpora, with whom she made rapid progress. Very soon after her debut in Dresden she had attained such popularity as to have become the rival of FaustinaHasse. She left the Dresden Opera in 1751 to appear during two seasons under Farinelli's management in Madrid, and in 1754 went to England, where she became immensely popular. She toured Italy, and in 1772 settled in Munich, where she lived until 1787, retiring then to Neuburg - on - the Danube, where she died.