after growing up under the musical guidance of her mother, an amateur violinist, and domenico zucchinetti in varese, and antonio secchi in milan, grassini made her stage début in 1789 in parma singing in guglielmi’s "la pastorella nobile", and the following year at milan’s la scala in three "opere buffe" among which included guglielmi’s "la bella pescatrice". these first comic performances were not a great success, and grassini was driven to resume the study of singing and to turn to drama.