Letitia Cross (baptized March 6, 1682 – died 4 April 1737) was a British

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

and actress. She appeared at the Drury Lane Theatre and was the mistress of

Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...

when he visited England.

Life

Cross was born in

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

and it has been suggested that this was 1681 or 1682 based on later information she volunteered. She was brought up in the theatre by her mother and her grandparents may have been Leonard and Ann Cross. She was baptised in

Dorking Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England about south-west of London. It is in Mole Valley, Mole Valley District and the non-metropolitan district, council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs ro ...

. In 1694 whilst still a child she was a member of the Drury Lane/Dorset Garden theatre company in London. At that time it was the only theatre company but a group left which included Thomas Betterton. She sang songs by

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: ; September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer of Baroque music, most remembered for his more than 100 songs; a tragic opera, Dido and Aeneas, ''Dido and Aeneas''; and his incidental music to a version o ...

whilst he was still alive as well as appearing in his unfinished opera '' The Indian Queen'' after his death. She sang in ''The Mock Marriage'', '' The Rival Sisters'' and a version of ''The Tempest'' by

John Dryden John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration (En ...

. She sang in various other productions and in 1696 she appeared as herself in a satire and later in that year she was in '' The Relapse'' by

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restor ...

. In 1697 and 1698

embarked on his Grand Embassy. He visited London and Cross became his mistress. She was paid £500 as "a present" although she expected more. The Czar replied that he thought her overpaid. Later that same year she went to France with a "certain baronet". In 1705 Thomas Clayton opened '' Arsinoe'' which was said to be the first English Opera designed "in the Italian style". Cross who had only recently returned to Drury Lane was amongst its principal players. The following month she was in ''Florimel'' and ''The Tender Husband'' in April. In 1706 she married Peter Weir but he was soon killed in Flanders. Cross created new roles such as Miranda in

Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman, and also known professionally as Susanna Carroll, was an English poet, actress, and "the most successful female playwright of the eighteenth century". Centlivre's ...

's successful comedy play '' The Busy Body'' in 1709 which ran for 13 nights. The following year the Drury Lane Theatre became, after much disagreement, subject to new management by Robert Wilks,

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''An Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in ...

and

Thomas Doggett Thomas Doggett (or Dogget; 20 September 1721) was an Irish actor. The birth date of 1640 seems unlikely. A more probable date of 1670 is given in the Encyclopædia Britannica. Biography Born in Dublin, he made his first stage appearance in Lon ...

and they refused to honour a five-year contract she had signed the year before with the previous management. The management had to change their minds when 73 of her admirers signed a petition in her support. She was accused of orchestrating the scheme but she denied any complicity. Cross had a benefit in 1732 where she returned to the stage for one night. She died at her home in Leicester Fields in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 4 April 1737 leaving shares in the Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre and several mourning rings. There was a painting of her by Sir

Godfrey Kneller Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (born Gottfried Kniller; 8 August 1646 – 19 October 1723) was a German-born British painter. The leading Portrait painting, portraitist in England during the late Stuart period, Stuart and early Georgian eras ...

as St Catherine in the 1690s and a matching print by John Smith.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Letitia 1680s births 1737 deaths Actresses from London Actresses from Surrey 17th-century English actresses 18th-century British actresses British stage actresses 18th-century British women singers Singers from London Musicians from Surrey Mistresses of Peter the Great 18th-century English women singers English operatic sopranos