GRISI, GIULIA (1811-1869), Italian opera-singer, daughter of one of Napoleon's Italian officers, was born in Milan on July 28, 1811. She came of a family of musical gifts, her maternal aunt Josephina Grassini (1773-185o) being a favourite opera singer both on the continent and in London ; her mother had also been a singer, and her elder sister Giudetta and her cousin Carlotta were both exceedingly talented. Giulia was trained for a musical career, and made her stage debut in 1828 in Rossini's Zelmira. Later at Milan she was the first Adalgisa in Bellini's Norma, in which Pasta took the title-part. Grisi appeared in Paris in 1832, as Semiramide in Rossini's opera, and had a great success. She played at the Theatre Italien for sixteen years, from 1832 to while in the summers from 1834 onwards she appeared in London. Her voice was a brilliant dramatic soprano, and her established position as a prima donna continued for thirty years. In 1835 Bellini wrote 1 Puritani for the great quartet of singers, Grisi, Lablache, Rubini and Tamburini, and the tradition of their great performance was long remembered in London and Paris. Later Mario took the place of Rubini, and for them Donizetti wrote Don Pasquale. In 1854 Grisi toured with Mario in Amer ica. She had married Count de Melcy in 1836, but the marriage was dissolved; in 1856 she married Mario (q.v.). She died in Berlin on Nov. 29, 1869.