Anna Bon after Bayreuth
When Wilhelmine died in 1758, all Bayreuth concerts were cancelled. Girolamo Bon still had obligations teaching at the Bayreuth Academy but his name appears in several productions in Pressburg (now Bratislava) between 1759 and 1761. Anna and her mother Rosa also appear as leading cast members for operas in Vienna and Pressburg.
Around this time Prince Esterhazy was put in charge of Burg Theater, the National Theater of Austria, in Vienna. He would have been familiar with the Bon family since they frequently performed there. Haydn was well know in Vienna at this time as well.
In 1761 Esterhazy hired Haydn to be in charge of chamber music at his court. Gregor Joseph Werner was also employed at the Esterhazy court, in charge of chorus and church music.
In 1762 all three members of the Bon family were hired by the Esterhazy court. Anna and Rosa as singers, were involved with both chamber music with Haydn and chorus/church music with Werner. Anna and Rosa’s names are handwritten into the score of Haydn’s C Major Cantata. Girolamo was hired as a painter. He decorated Haydn’s early stage works. He also helped Haydn translate libretti into Italian.
Little is know about the rest of Anna’s life. Although it has not been verified, it is believed she married a singer named Mongeri and moved to the town of Hildburghausen, Germany. Hildburghausen was know as a cultural center at the time.
Another possible link between Anna and Hildburghausen was the Duchess of Hildburghausen. Duchess Ernestine Auguste Sophie of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach was orphaned at the age of eight and went to live with her aunt and uncle - Frederick and Wilhelmine of Bayreuth! Anna and Ernestine were about the same age and would have spent several years together in Bayreuth. Anna’s Op. 2 collection of Six Harpsichord Sonatas, published in 1757, were dedicated to Ernestine.
Ernestine married Duke Ernst Fredrich III on July 1, 1758. Wilhelmine died just 3 months later. A contemporary of Ernestine described her as being passionate about music. She played french horn, flute, piano and violin. She also hunted on horseback and on foot ‘like a man’ in close-fitting trousers.
When her husband died in 1780, Ernestine withdrew completely and was mainly occupied with music. Perhaps Ernestine and Anna were still friends and played music together.
