Duchess in the spotlight
2nd August, 2019
A new collaborative exhibition is set to shine a light on a modern Georgian Duchess and her relationship with the era’s operatic culture.
Elizabeth Montagu, 3rd Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry (1743-1827), is the focus of A Passion for Opera: The Duchess and the Georgian Stage, which opened at Boughton House in Northamptonshire in August.
A close confidante of Queen Charlotte, Elizabeth was a pivotal player in Georgian high society and the exhibition is the result of a partnership between Boughton House – Elizabeth’s ancestral home - the Department of Music at the University of Southampton and the Royal College of Music, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
It explores the intense world of Georgian operatic culture and music-making through the Duchess’ legacy and traces her family’s interactions with the contemporary stars of the opera and concert stages of Europe.
Looking behind the closed doors of the Georgian era, it features artefacts unearthed from the Buccleuch family archives and Elizabeth Montagu’s music collection at Boughton House, including her annotated opera scores, dinner books that list house visits by the great opera stars, and musical caricatures.
Other exhibits include authentic opera glasses, a reproduction sedan chair, a 1787 silk fan featuring King’s Theatre box subscriptions and a first edition of Domenico Corri’s The Singer’s Preceptor, as well as keyboard instruments of the period.
The exhibition’s curator, Paul Boucher of Boughton House, said: “Our new exhibition offers a stunning profile of Duchess Elizabeth and her musical family during the Georgian era. We will explore what it was like to visit the opera, meet some of the stars and see the instruments – different pianos and an early nineteenth century harp – that Elizabeth and her daughters had to hand to enjoy this music at home.”
“Visitors will come face to face with Gainsborough’s portrait of the young Duchess in the Steward’s Hall of Boughton House. A philanthropist and an avid music lover, she was an influential player on the Georgian stage and a modern woman.
“The insights offered by the AHRC-funded research team have been illuminating not only for our understanding of Elizabeth and the Montagu family during this period but our reading of the Georgian era, and we’re looking forward to sharing their findings this summer.”
Professor Jeanice Brooks of the Department of Music at the University of Southampton, said: “The Montagu Music Collection at Boughton and the rich Buccleuch archives provide a fascinating glimpse into the rich world of Georgian music making.
“They allow us to explore the experience of going to the opera, to investigate the interactions of opera stars with their noble admirers, and to consider the efforts made to establish opera ‘at home’ in Edinburgh as well as in London. The materials shed light on the Italian singing masters who taught English amateur and professional pupils, and reveal rare evidence of how operatic music was performed in aristocratic homes.”
Boughton’s special exhibition is open to the public throughout August, during the House’s summer opening season. During the opening, House tours will begin at 1pm, with the last tour at 3.30pm daily.
The Great Hall Tour, plus entry to the Gardens, Armoury and special exhibition costs £10 for adults, £8 for children and £30 for families (two adults and two children). Children under five go free. The State Rooms tour is available for an extra £2.00 per person, while the Books, Beds and Beyond Tour is an additional £10 per person.
The Gardens will open throughout August between 12pm-5pm, with last entry at 4pm. Tickets cost £6 for adults, £3 for children and £14 for families (two adults and two children). As an added bonus, Gardens tickets holders will also gain access to the Armoury and the special exhibition. Groups are welcome to visit by prior arrangement throughout the year.
