Catherine Tofts

[2] Tofts began her career as a concert soprano in 1703 and joined the roster of principal sopranos at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1704.

[1] Around this time, the competition between Tofts and Margherita de l'Épine was in earnest.

Perhaps to illustrate the famed rivalry, Marco Ricci painted L'Épine with her back to Tofts, in the composition Rehearsal of an opera (c.1709) .

[3] Jonathan Swift has a short poem about Mrs Tofts in his "works" which talks of her beauty.

[4] Tofts quit the stage in 1709 and married Joseph Smith, English consul at Venice.