Marie Battu by Reutlinger with autograph

Marie Battu (1838-1888); French soprano
After appearing as a child in Offenbach's “Pépito” she made her début in 1860 at the Théâtre Italien as Amina in Bellini’s “La Sonnambula”. She sang the role of Oscar in the first Paris performance of Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera”. She created the role of Inès in Meyerbeer's “L’Africaine” (1865) and sang the role of Mathilde in the 500th performance of Rossini's “Guillaume Tell” (1868). She made her Covent Garden début in 1862 as Gilda in Verdi’s “Rigoletto”. She retired in 1873.