Theatrical jewellery, tiara

Head ornament in the shape of a small bird of gilt metal with white, pink and green pastes and plumes of white egret feathers. Adelina Patti wore it in Act II of ‘Aida’, which she first performed at Covent Garden in June 1876.
The opera critic of ‘The Times’ declared ‘Madame Adelina Patti throws herself heart and soul into the character of Aïda, and wherever the highest art is called upon exhibits it in perfection…(there is) nothing more impassioned than her acting, declamation and singing in the three great duets, so much of the dramatic significance of which depends essentially upon her exertions.’
Adelina Patti (1843-1919) was a soprano born into a musical Italian family. She grew up in the Bronx in New York City. In 1861, aged 18, Patti performed to great acclaim at Covent Garden in ‘La sonnambula’ and appeared there in every season until 1884. She also sang worldwide, especially in Europe. The highest earning singer of her era, Patti married three times. One of the characters in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ refers to ‘Patti singing divinely’, and Patti’s portrait was painted by Winterhalter, among others.