Madam Adelina Patti was a famous opera singer who sang at all the leading opera houses all over the world in the 1880's and 1890's. Although she was born in Spain and her parents were Italian, she married in Wales and lived for much of her life at Craig-y-nos Castle near Ystradgynlais.

She earned £1,000 for a single performance at the height of her fame, which was a huge amount of money for the time. But she was very generous and did a lot to help local people in Wales. The painting of Madam Patti shown here is from a Brecknock Museum copy.

The school records of Ynscedwyn School include some small examples of her kindness, like this entry from 1892:
"Madame Patti Nicolini gave a treat of tea and cake to the children of this school to-day, and in the afternoon she and a large number of friends visited the school to see the children partaking of the same".
A similar entry in 1889 refers to the closing of the school for half a day "to attend Madame Patti's distribution of charities at the village of Ystradgynlais".

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