Sarah Bates (singer)
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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sarah Bates
| image = File:Angelica Kauffmann - Portrait of Sarah Harrop (Mrs. Bates) as a Muse - Google Art Project.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Angelica Kauffman, Portrait of Sarah Harrop (Mrs. Bates) as a Muse, ca. 1780–81, in the Princeton University Art Museum
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| birth_name = Sarah Harrop
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| birth_place = Lancashire
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| death_date = {{death date|1811|12|11|df=y}}
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| genre =
| occupation = Singer
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}}
Sarah Bates (née Harrop, October 1758 – 11 December 1811) was an English singer born in Lancashire. She was married to the conductor Joah Bates.
Early life and education
Sarah Harrop was born at Woodbrook, Saddleworth on the western edge of Yorkshire.{{fact|date=January 2025}} Her parents were Robert and Elizabeth (born Harrop). Her father was a clothier and her brother, Robert, was the organist for the nearby Hey Chapel. She was educated and worked in Halifax.{{Citation |last=Maitland |first=J. A. F. |title=Bates [née Harrop], Sarah (c. 1755–1811), singer |date=2004-09-23 |work=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |editor-last=Zöllner |editor-first=Eva |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-1679 |access-date=2025-01-09 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/1679 |isbn=978-0-19-861412-8}}
Singing career
On one occasion she sang in public in Halifax where she was heard by Dr. Howard, of Leicester, who prophesied that she would one day throw all the English, nay even the Italian female singers far behind her.{{Citation |last=Maitland |first=J. A. F. |title=Bates [née Harrop], Sarah (c. 1755–1811), singer |date=2004-09-23 |work=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |editor-last=Zöllner |editor-first=Eva |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-1679 |access-date=2025-01-09 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/1679 |isbn=978-0-19-861412-8}} While she resumed her ordinary occupations, Dr. Howard sounded her praises in London, until at last the Sandwich Catch Club deputed him to bring her to London, where she met with very great success. In London she studied Italian music under Sacchini, and the compositions of Handel and the older masters under her future husband.
She was a successful concert singer, both before and after her marriage with Joah Bates, which took place in 1780. Her chief success was made in sacred music, which she delivered with much impressiveness. Among her secular songs the most famous was Purcell's "Mad Bess".
Angelica Kauffman painted her portrait{{Cite web |title=Sarah Bates (née Harrop) - National Portrait Gallery |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp56069/sarah-bates-nee-harrop |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.npg.org.uk |language=en}} depicting her as Erato, the muse of lyric poetry, which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1781 and is now in the possession of the Princeton University Art Museum.
Death
She died at Foley Place on 11 December 1811.
References
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Category:People from Saddleworth
Category:18th-century English singers
Category:19th-century English singers
Category:18th-century British women singers
Category:19th-century British women singers
Category:English women singers