Sirmen, Maddalena (1735–after 1785)

Italian violinist and composer. She toured as a virtuoso violinist; her concerts were extremely popular in London and Paris. She married Ludovico Sirmen, a violinist and conductor at the church of Santa Maria Maddalena, Bergamo.

She studied at the Conservatorio dei Mendicanti at Venice and studied violin with Giuseppe Tartini at Padua. In 1760 she began to tour in Italy, but continued to learn from Tartini by correspondence. She and her husband visited Paris in 1768 and in 1771 she first appeared in London, where she also played the harpsichord.

Works Orchestral and chamber six violin concertos; six string quartets, six trios for two violins and cello; six duets and six sonatas for two violins.