BERSELLI, Matteo, a celebrated Italian tenor, who came to England with Senesino; and with him made his first appearance in London in Buononcini's 'Astartus,' Nov. 19, 1720. He eang next in December of the same year, with Senesino again, in the 'Radamisto' (revival) of Handel; and in 1721 he appeared in 'Muzio Scævola,' joint work of Attilio, Buononcini, and Handel; in the 'Arsace' of Orlandini and Amadei; and in the anonymous 'L'Odio e L'Amore.' After that we lose sight of him.
BERTA, or The Gnome of the Hartzberg, a romantic opera in 2 acts; words by Edward Fitzball; music by Henry Smart. Produced at the Haymarket Theatre, May 26, 1855.
BERTIN, Louise Angelique, born near Paris 1805, contralto singer, pianist, and composer. 'Le Loup Garou' (Paris, 1827) and 'Faust' (1831) were her most successful operas, though Victor Hugo himself adapted the libretto for her 'La Esmeralda' (1836). Mlle. Bertin's imperfect studies account for the crudities and irregularities to be found in her writings among many evidences of genius. She died Ap. 26, 1877.
BERTINI, Giuseppe, son of Salvatore Bertini, a musician at Palermo, born there about 1756; a composer of church music, and author of 'Dizionario … degli scrittori di musica' (Palermo, 1814), which, although largely borrowed from Choron and Fayolles, contains interesting original articles on Italian musicians.
BERTINI, Henri, born in London 1798 [App. p.545 "Oct. 28"], a pianist, the last member of a musical family, which included the father, born at Tours 1750, and an elder brother Benoît Auguste, who was a pupil of Clementi, and trained Henri after that master's method. At the age of twelve his father took him for a successful concert-tour in Holland, the Netherlands, and Germany. He was for some time in England and Scotland, but in 1821 settled finally in Paris. As a performer he excelled alike in phrasing and execution. His compositions (of which Fétis gives a complete list) were excellent for their time, but his chief work is an admirable course of studies. He died at Meylan, Oct. 1, 1876.
BERTINOTTI, Teresa, born at Savigliano, Piedmont, in 1776. When she was only two years old her parents went to live at Naples. Here, at the age of four, she began the study of music, under the instruction of La Barbiera, a very original artist, of a type that is now nearly lost, even at Naples. At twelve the little Teresa made her first appearance, with other children, at the San Carlino theatre, with great éclat. As she grew older, she showed the promise of great beauty, and developed a fine style of singing. Obtaining engagements only too easily she sang at Florence, Venice, Milan, and Turin with prodigious success. In the latter town she married Felice Radicati, a violinist and composer of instrumental music; but she still kept to her maiden name on the stage. In 1805 she sang with brilliant success at Vienna for six months; but she then left that city, on account of political events. In 1807 she went to Munich, and sang before the court; and then visited Vienna a second time, where she found the same welcome as before. An engagement from Louis Buonaparte, king of Holland, now reached her: she accepted it, and went to the Hague. Receiving proposals from London and Paris, she preferred the former, whither she came about 1810–11. Here she was thought to have a pleasing voice and a good manner; but after giving satisfaction in one serious opera, 'Zaira,' in which her songs were written for her by her husband, she was less successful in a second; upon which she took to comic opera, and performed extremely well in Mozart's 'Così fan tutte,' which was admirably acted in every part, the other characters being filled by Collini, Cauvini, Tramezzani, and Naldi. She also sang in the 'Flauto Magico' and a revival of Guglielmi's beautiful 'Sidagero.' Catalani, however, could not endure to be surrounded by so many good performers; and the situation consequently became so unpleasant that half the company, including Bertinotti, seceded to the Pantheon, taking with them, as 'best woman,' the celebrated Miss Stephens, who there made her début. The licence being only for intermezzos, operas of one act, and dancing without ballets d'action, the performances were not very attractive, and soon ceased. The house then closed, and most of the troupe, among whom was Bertinotti, left this country. She now returned to Italy, visited Genoa, and was next engaged at the end of 1812 for the opera at Lisbon. In 1814 she returned to Bologna, being called thither on family matters, and while there received an offer from the Italian opera at Paris, which she accepted but was prevented from fulfilling by the return of Napoleon from Elba. She therefore settled at Bologna, where her husband, who had obtained a place as first violin and professor, was killed in 1823 by an accident, being thrown from a carriage. She now retired from the stage, but continued to teach singing, and formed several admirable pupils. She died at Bologna, Feb. 12, 1854.
BERTOLDI, Signora, announced July 2, 1729, among Handel's new company, as having 'a very fine treble voice,' was in reality the contralto Bertolli.
BERTOLLI, Francesca, who arrived in England about the end of September 1729, was a splendid contralto, and 'also a very genteel actress, both in men and women's parts.' She was one of the new company with which Handel opened the season of 1729–30, and appeared in 'Lotario' and the revival of 'Tolomeo,' and in 'Partenope,' Feb. 24, 1730. She sang again in 'Poro,' Feb. 2, 1731, with Senesino: this opera had a run of fifteen nights, at that time a great success. Bertolli took in it the part formerly sung by Merighi. She took part in the revivals of 'Rodelinda' and 'Rinaldo' in the same season, and in the new operas, 'Ezio' and 'Sosarme,' at the beginning of 1732. In this season she sang,
