Thillon, Anna

1819-

English dramatic soprano; very popular on the French operatic stage; was born in London, but when fourteen years old went to France to study singing under Bordogno, Tadolini and M. Thillon, conductor of the Havre Philharmonic Society, whom she married when she was only fifteen. She made her debut at Havre, then sang at Clermont, and for two years at Nantes with such success that she was offered an engagement at the Theatre de la Renaissance in Paris, and on her appearance therewas enthusiastically received. She first sang the principal role of Lady Melvil and afterward appeared in La Chasse Royale, La Chaste Suzanne, L'Eau Merveilleuse, La Neige Due d'Olonne, Part du Diable, Cagliostro, Sainte Cecile and Les Peints d' Amour. Auber composed The Crown Diamonds especially for her, and she appeared in this on her English debut at the Prince's Theatre in 1844, with such success that the opera ran the whole season. She sang at Philharmonic Society and other concerts. She appeared in 1845 at Drury Lane as Stella in the Enchantress, and in 1846 at the Haymarket in Le Domino Noir and L'Eau Merveilleuse, and in 1848 at the Prince's in La Fille du Regiment. She played in the French and English provinces, and in America on the Pacific Coast from 1851 to 1854. She appeared as La Catarina at the Lyceum in London in 1856 and sang at Kuhe's Festival in 1867, then retired to Torquay.