Elizabeth Young (contralto) facts for kids

Elizabeth Young was a talented English singer and actress. She was a contralto, which means she had a low singing voice. Elizabeth came from a very famous family of musicians. Many of her relatives were professional singers and organ players in the 1700s.

Elizabeth Young's Life

Elizabeth Young was born in London around the 1730s. Her father, Charles Young, worked at the Treasury. She was the middle child of three daughters. Her older sister, Isabella Young, was a successful singer with a voice called a mezzo-soprano. This is a singing voice that is lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto.

Her younger sister, Polly Young, was a famous soprano (a high singing voice). Polly was also a composer and played keyboard instruments.

A Family of Musicians

Music ran deep in Elizabeth's family! Her grandfather, Charles Young, and her great-uncle, Anthony Young, were well-known organists and composers.

She also had three famous aunts who were all great singers. Her Aunt Cecilia was one of the best English sopranos of the 1700s. She was married to the famous composer Thomas Arne. Her Aunt Isabella was also a successful soprano. She was married to composer John Frederick Lampe. Her Aunt Esther was a well-known contralto, just like Elizabeth.

Early Career and Travels

In 1755, Elizabeth traveled to Dublin, Ireland. She went with her Uncle Thomas and Aunt Cecilia Arne. She sang the part of Grideline in Thomas Arne's opera Rosamond at the Smock Alley Theatre.

During this trip, Thomas and Cecilia had some disagreements and decided to live separately. Elizabeth chose to return to England with her uncle in 1756. The next year, she appeared as a shepherdess in her uncle's opera Eliza.

Joining the Stage

In 1758, Elizabeth Young joined the acting group at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Her first role there was Lucy in The Beggar's Opera. The advertisements for this show said it was her "first appearance on any stage." This was probably a marketing trick to make people more interested!

Elizabeth sang regularly at Drury Lane until 1772. She also performed in some seasons at Finch’s Grotto. This was a fun outdoor place in South London where people went for entertainment. Because she had a lower voice, she often played "breeches roles." These were parts where a woman dressed up as a man. She also played older women's parts.

She created the role of Agenor in the first-ever performance of George Rush’s The Royal Shepherd in 1764. She also played Ursula in the first performance of Charles Dibdin’s The Padlock in 1768. In 1762, Elizabeth married a violinist named Ridley Dorman.