Marie Carandini

Maria Burgess was born in Brixton, Surrey, the daughter of coachman James Burgess (died 1835) and Martha Burgess ( Medwin). Her mother was a cousin of Thomas Medwin, Byron's companion and biographer, and her father claimed a close relationship to Shelley. ==Career==

She was frequently billed as "The Australian Jenny Lind". She has the distinction of having been Australia's first Adalgisa in Bellini's opera Norma (1852, Royal Victoria Theatre, Sydney) beside the Norma of Sara Flower. In November 1858 Carandini sang Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore in a twenty-seven performance season at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. The Carandini troupe performed what may have been New Zealand's first full opera production when they performed Henry Bishop's Guy Mannering at Dunedin's Princess Theatre in September 1862. ==Late life and legacy==

Carandini's last Australian appearance was in farewell concert on 3 February 1892 at the Melbourne Town Hall; she sang "Jessie the flower of Dumblane" with a strong voice for her age. Soon afterwards she left for England. In her late life, Carandini lived at Richmond Hill, near Bath, with her daughter; she died there on 13 April 1894, aged 68. ==Family==

Her eldest daughter Rosina Palmer was a notable Australian soprano, while her son Christie Palmerston was an explorer and prospector in northern Queensland. Her great-grandson (by her granddaughter, Countess Estelle Marie (née Carandini di Sarzano); (1889–1981) was actor Sir Christopher Lee and her great-great-granddaughter is Dame Harriet Walter. She was also the great-grandmother of the actress Hermione Hannen through her daughter Fanny Ellen Hannah Louisa Carandini, who married Sir Henry Morland. ==Tribute==

A street in the Canberra suburb of Melba is named in her honour. ==References==