Lady Catherine Hamilton was the wife of Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to Naples. She was the daughter of Hugh Barlow, member of parliament for Pembroke Boroughs, and an accomplished amateur musician.
David Allan, William Hamilton and his wife, Catherine Barlow, at their summer villa in Posillipo, 1770
- Mozart Relevance
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Leopold reports meeting the Hamiltons in a letter of 19 May 1770:
Yesterday evening we called on the English ambassador Hamilton (our acquaintance from London), whose wife plays the keyboard with exceptional feeling and is a most pleasant person. She trembled at the prospect of having to play for Wolfg. She has a valuable instrument made in England by Burkat Tschudi, with 2 manuals and pedal stops that can be uncoupled by means of the foot
Lady Hamilton subsequently helped arrange a concert by Mozart at the home of Countess Kaunitz, wife of the Imperial Neapolitan ambassador, on 28 May.
- Date 1
- 1738, Colby
- Date 2
- 1782-08-25, Naples