Charlotte Brent

Charlotte Brent (1735 – 10 April 1802) was a child prodigy and celebrated soprano singer of the 18th century.

She was the daughter of Charles Brent (1693–1770), a Handelian counter-tenor, and fencing-master. She was a pupil and mistress of Thomas Arne (the composer of Rule, Britannia!) and later the wife of the violinist Thomas Pinto (whom she married in 1766). She was also the step grandmother of the composer and keyboard virtuoso George Pinto. Brent had a long musical partnership with Arne, often appearing in his opera productions and performing his works in concerts. Among the roles she originated were Mandane in Arne's Artaxerxes, Sally in Arne's Thomas and Sally, and Rosetta in Arne's Love in a Village.