Pauline Rita

Rita was born in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, in 1842, the eldest of six children of Anne Elizabeth née Burdock (1811–1866) and William Glenister (1808–1885), a shoemaker.

The 1851 census lists her in Marylebone, London, aged 8, where she was living with her aunt Jemima and uncle, Mark Taylor, a quarry owner.

The Musical World reported that "an English girl about eighteen years of age" by the name of Miss Glenister had appeared in a Benefit for Castellani at Ivrea, near Milan, singing pieces from Lucia di Lammermoor and I masnadieri.

[3] In 1870 she sang the soprano part in the oratorio St Paul at Cirencester, but when the Italian opera season of 1871 opened she was a supporting member of the company, given parts such as Flora in La traviata, Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, "the peasant girl with a few phrases to sing in the last act" in Le due giornate by Mayr or Teresa in La sonnambula.

[3] She subsequently went on tour with James Henry Mapleson's company, but took just one week out to go to Doncaster and sing Frédégonde opposite the Chilpéric of Emily Soldene.

"[6] In December 1874 she played the lead role of the Prince de Conti in Charles Lecocq's Les Prés St. Gervais at the Criterion Theatre.

[10] On 5 May 1876, Rita was the beneficiary of a special matinée at the Princess's Theatre at which Selina Dolaro, Mrs Howard Paul, Arthur Cecil and many others contributed, and Alfred Cellier conducted his operetta Dora's Dream.

[16][17] Returning to Britain, they continued to give the programme they had perfected on tour: "Flutes of All Ages: Mr Radcliff ... playing on twenty different instruments selections from the music of all countries and all times.