Anna Bon’s Childhood

Before she was born, Anna’s parents were employed by Zarina Anna Ivanovna of Russia. Anna Ivanovna sent a scout to Venice to recruit musicians. Rosa, Anna Bon’s mother, was a well-known singer and her father, Girolamo, was an opera/theater designer and painter. They were involved with the premier of Italian Opera in Russia. Newspaper articles from the time praise both Rosa and Girolamo for their work in the Royal Theater productions in St. Petersburg.

When Anna Ivanovna died in February 1738, the Italian troupe of musicians, actors and designers traveled back to Italy. This would have been a long, bumpy, three-month trip by stagecoach - and Rosa was pregnant. Anna was born on August 10, 1738 in Bologna, Italy.

There are records as early as 1740 of Rosa and Girolamo being back in Russia, employed by the new Zarina - Elisabeth the Great, at the Russian Royal Opera. It is unclear if Anna went with them to Russia or remained in Italy with extended family.

Anna was just four years old when she was enrolled by her father at the Ospedale della Pieta in Venice. Although most paying or scholarship students were older, an exception was probably made because her parents were musicians. She was put under the care of Maestra Cadida dalla Viola, who had been a student of Vivaldi. Vivaldi had left the Pieta by the time Anna arrived, but his students were now teachers. Anna was taught viola, harpsichord and counterpoint.

The Ospedali of Venice (there were 4 of them) had gained a reputation for musical excellence. Although they incorporated similar structures and practices of the Catholic Church, the Ospedali were governed by committees of wealthy Venetian nobility. There was a clear connection between the institution’s revenue and the quality of their performances. Because of this, there was incentive to maintain very high musical standards. It was also somewhat of a novelty. In a time when a woman’s life was very restricted, the most famous choir and orchestra in Europe was made up of young women.

In 1746 or 1747 Anna left the Pieta to join her parents who were now performing in Dresden. Over the next several years the family gave performances in Potsdam, Antwerp, Regensburg and Frankfurt. This included several performances at the court of Fredrick the Great. Fredrick’s sister, Wilhelmine, surely heard them perform on one or more of these occasions. She references Rosa in particular in a letter to Frederick. The entire family was employed by Wilhelmine in 1756, who is now the Margravine of Bayreuth, Germany.