Michael William Balfe - Life and career

Composer, born in Dublin, Ireland. In 1823 he moved to London, and in 1825–6 studied in Italy under Rossini, which inspired him to sing in opera with considerable success. In 1833 he returned to England, and in 1846 was appointed conductor of the London Italian Opera. Of his numerous operas, operettas, and other compositions, the most enduring success was The Bohemian Girl (1843).

Michael William Balfe (May 15, 1808 - October 20, 1870), was an Irish composer, best known today for his opera The Bohemian Girl.

Life and career

Balfe was born in Dublin, where his musical gifts became apparent at an early age. Between 1814 and 1815, Balfe played the violin for his father's dancing-classes, and at the age of seven composed a polacca.

Singing career

Balfe also had a relatively small but pleasant baritone voice, and he chose to become an operatic singer. At the close of 1827 he appeared as Figaro in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, at the Italian opera in Paris.

Balfe soon returned to Italy, where, during the next nine years, he remained, singing at various theatres and composing a number of operas. Fétis says that the public indignation roused by an attempt at "improving" Meyerbeer’s opera Il Crociato by interpolated music of his own, compelled Balfe to throw up his engagement at the theatre La Fenice in Venice. Balfe met Maria Malibran while singing at the Paris Opera during this period.

Career as composer

Balfe produced his first complete opera, I Rivali di se stessi, at Palermo in the carnival season of 1829—1830; Encouraged by his success, he produced The Maid of Artois in 1836 -- the success of the opera being guaranteed by the exquisite singing of Malibran.

Balfe was a prolific composer, as may be seen from the following list of his English operas alone:

Siege of Rochelle (1835) The Maid of Artois (1836) Catherine Grey (1837) Joan of Arc (1837) Falstaff (1838, Lablache in title-role) Amelia, or the Love Test (1838) Keolanthe (1841) The Bohemian Girl (1844) The Daughter of St. Mark (1844) The Enchantress (1845) The Bondman (1846) The Devil’s in it (1847) The Maid of Honour (1847) The Sicilian Bride (1852) The Rose of Castile (1857) Satanella (1858) Bianca (1860) The Puritan’s Daughter (1861) The Armourer of Nantes (1863) Blanche de Nevers (1863)

Balfe also wrote several operas for the Opéra Comique and Grand Opéra in Paris such as Le Puits d’amour (1843) and Les Quatre Fils Aymon (1844).

Though he wrote many works, the only large-scale piece of Balfe's which is remembered today is The Bohemian Girl. Nonetheless, he is probably the second most famous 19th century composer of English language opera (after Arthur Sullivan).

Balfe retired to Hertfordshire in 1864, where he owned a farm.