Billington, ELIZABETH, a celebrated singer, was born in London about 1768. Trained by her father, a German musician named Weichsel, she appeared as an infant pianist in 1774; and in 1783, after a secret marriage with her singing-master, James Billington, she came out with brilliant success on the opera stage in Dublin. Returning to London in 1786, she was engaged at Covent
Garden at the then unheard-of salary of £1000 for the season. She appeared subsequently in Naples, Venice, Florence, and elsewhere, with the greatest applause. In 1799, her first husband being dead, she married a Frenchman, Felissent, but owing to ill-treatment she left him and returned to London, 1801, where she received nearly £4000 for six months, playing alternately at Covent Garden and Drury Lane. She retired from the stage in 1811, and died (1818) at her villa near Venice, not without suspicion of foul play from her husband. To a voice of great compass and the richest tone, trained in all the art of the Italian school, she added a fascinating personal beauty and grace.