A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Castellan, Jeanne
CASTELLAN, Jeanne Anaïs, born at Beaujeu (Rhone), Oct. 26, 1819, received instruction in singing from Bordogni and Nourrit at the Paris Conservatoire, where she remained six years; she obtained an accessit in solfeggio in '31, first premium '33, second premium in singing '35, and finally a first premium in singing and second premium in opéra comique in '36. She went on the operatic stage in Italy, and sang with success at Turin, Milan, and Florence (where in '40 she married Enrico Giampetro, a singer), also at Vienna, etc. She next sang in the United States and Mexico. She first appeared in England May 13, '44, at a Philharmonic concert, with such success that she was reengaged at a subsequent concert on June 10, also at concerts given by Sterndale Bennett, Benedict, etc. In the winter she sang in Italian opera in St. Petersburg. On April 1, '45, she first appeared at Her Majesty's as Lucia, with fair success, and remained there during that and the two next seasons, as the successor to Persiani, singing, among other parts, Zerlina ('Don Giovanni'), Fiordiligi ('Così fan Tutte'), Amina, Linda di Chamouni, Adina ('L'Elisire d'Amore'), and Isabella, on production in Italian of 'Robert le Diable,' May 4, '47, for Jenny Lind. From '48 to '52, except '49, when she was at the Grand Opera, Paris, where she was the original Bertha in 'Le Prophète,' she sang each season at Covent Garden, where she proved herself a pre-eminently useful singer in many parts of a different character, viz. Margaret of Valois, on the production in Italian of 'Les Huguenots,' July 20, '48, Juliet, Bertha, Isabella, Elvira ('Masaniello'), Agatha ('Der Freischütz'), Anais ('Mosè in Egitto'), Matilde ('Guillaume Tell'), Ninetta, Rosina, Abigail ('Nabuco'), Pamina, Glicera on production in England of Gounod's 'Saffo' (Aug. 12, '51), Cunegunda on production of Spohr's 'Faust,' July 15, '52 (the composer interpolated an air for her from his opera 'Der Zweikampf'), Pamina, and Leonora ('Fidelio'). Madame Castellan sang frequently at the Philharmonic and other concerts, and at the festivals at Norwich, Gloucester, Worcester, and at Birmingham four times, from '49 to '58, where in '55 she originally sang the soprano music in Costa's 'Eli,' and in '58 the same in Leslie's 'Judith.' Madame Castellan also played in Paris in Italian in 1847, and for the last time in 1859, as well as in Italy and elsewhere. She has long since retired from public life.
'Madame Castellan … enjoyed during some years a settled occupation of trust and variety on our two Italian Opera stages. So far as industry and general utility, a pleasing person, and a competent voice entitled their owner to public favour, the new French prima donna was eminently qualified. But she fell short of complete excellence in every point save that of adaptability. Her voice, an extensive soprano, having both upper and lower notes sufficient in power, was never thoroughly in tune … Madame Castellan, though she was always courteously received, never excited the slightest enthusiasm … Her amenity of manner, however, and the sedulous care she always showed to keep faith with the public, maintained her long in London; and since she has passed from the stage, she has never been replaced by any one equivalent to her.' (Chorley, 1862).