s. Another work for the stage is the comic opera,
"Tambour Battant."

Carlotta Ferrari is undoubtedly the greatest of the Italian women
composers. Born at Lodi in 1837, she soon began her musical studies,
completing them with the best masters of the Milan Conservatory. When
she tried to enter the lists in dramatic work, she found the theatre
managers unwilling to give her any encouragement because of her sex.
Feeling sure of her ability, however, she was brave enough to hire a
theatre, and produce her opera, "Ugo," at her own expense. The result
justified her hopes, for the work scored an entire success. Since that
time she has had no trouble in dealing with the managers, who may well
feel ashamed of their early fears. Her later operas, "Sofia" and
"Eleonora d'Aborea," were as warmly received as her first attempt.

Her work is by no means limited to the stage. She has produced an
excellent mass, which was written for the cathedral of her native town.
The impression made by this work was so favourable that she received two
commissions from the Turin authorities, at later times, one for a
requiem and the other for a cantata. She is said to be an absolute
master of canon, or the imitation of one part by another. Among her
smaller works are two sets of these canons for three voices and piano.

One of the earlier composers was Maria Teresa Agnesi, who flourished in
the eighteenth century. Like many of her sex, she was a pianist as well
as a composer. She worked in the larger forms, and her four operas met
with decided success in many cities of her operatic land. Besides
operas, she produced several cantatas and other choral works, and a
number of concertos, sonatas, and pieces for the piano.

Another eighteenth century celebrity was Maddalena Sirmen, who won fame
as one of the great Italian school of violinists. She was a pupil of the
renowned Tartini, and held her own with the great performers of her
time. Her works contain a number of violin concertos and a set of six
trios for two violins and a 'cello, besides many smaller pieces. Most of
these were wholly successful in performance.

Maria Andreozzi, Marquise de Bottini, lived in the early part of the
nineteenth century. Her works all show great merit, and cover a wide
range in the matter of form. They include an opera, a requiem, a Stabat
Mater, an orchestral Magnificat, the cantata "St. Cecile," another
choral cantata, a number of concertos for piano, several overtu