Chevalier Andrea Casali, or the architect John Crunden. The tavern at number 9 was the first home of The Club, founded in 1764 by Joshua Reynolds and Dr. Samuel Johnson. Wages She was paid 6 guineas, very high wages at the time, for the charity revivals of Handel's Solomon at the Foundling Hospital in 1754, 1758 and 1759. She was the highest paid singer at Handel's Foundling Hospital performances of Messiah. Voice Giulia Frasi was endowed with a beautiful and robust soprano voice whose expressive qualities were greatly valued by Handel, much more than her technical ones. Indeed, allegedly, Giulia had a very limited interest in studying and practicing; Burney tells us an anecdote showing the composer's sarcasm about Giulia's motivation regarding training: "When Frasi told him, that she should study hard; and was going to learn Thorough-Base, in order to accompany herself: Handel, who well knew how little this pleasing singer was addicted to application and diligence, says, 'Oh – vaat may we not expect!' " Nonetheless she did study under Handel - along with Caterina Galli - and benefited greatly from his tuition. In his General History of Music (1789), Charles Burney remembers her at the beginning of her career as "[being...] young, and interesting in person, with a sweet and clear voice, and a smooth and chaste style of singing, which, though, cold and unimpassioned, pleased natural ears, and escaped the censure of critics." She had excellent reviews, especially in Salisbury, and was highly appreciated by the British public, whose preference yet was the nightingale singing of castrati rather than a voice whose abilities had nothing exceptional however delicate it was.Although it is to be noted that she did reprise some castrati roles in revivals (for example in Artaxerxes) and that arias written specifically for her do occasionally include fiery - if short - coloraturas. "Gracious Heav'n, O hear me!" composed by Arne for Frasi and added to The Masque of Alfred is a "lively da capo aria di bravura." "Là per l'ombrosa sponda!", found in Vincenzo Ciampi's Trionfo di Camilla is another example of virtuoso aria written for Frasi. Both arias are strongly influenced by the Neapolitan school, whose composers Frasi had sung earlier in her career. Burney also recorded that a virtuoso aria by Pergolesi "was sung at concerts by Frasi for ten years, at least." However, inspired by her rare and particular talent in