NEYEBBEER, JAxoi3, conunonly called GrAcomo MEYERBEER, a celebrated musical. composer of the present age, was the son of a wealthy Jewish banker, and \YRS b. at Berlin, Sept. 5,1794. He was a precocious child, playing tunes on the piano spontane ously (it is said) as early as his fifth year. He began to study dramatic composition un der Bernhard Anselm Weber; and in 1810 entered the school of Vogler at Darmstadt, where he formed an intimate friendship with the renowned Karl Maria von Weber. While at Darmstadt, he wrote a cantata, Gott und die Natur. Subsequently, he com posed an opera, Jephthah, produced at Munich in 1812; but though warmly admired by his friends, Vogler, Weber, and others, it fell tlat on the audience, and was considered a failure. He now proceeded to Vienna, where he acquired a brilliant reputation as a pianist; but another opera which he produced here by command of the court, Die beiden .Khalifen, was no more successful than the previous one. Italian music was the rage at the time, and nobody had a chance who did not imitate Rossini. Meyerbeer wasmduced by his friend Salieri to visit Italy, where he became an enthusiastic convert to the new Italian school, and began the composition of a series of operas which proved highly popular. We may mention his Romilda e Constanza (performed at Padua in 1819),
Semirarnide (Turin, 1819), Emma di Resburgo (Venice, 1820), the first of Meyerheer's com positions that excited a furor; Margherita d' Anjou (1822), Elude di Grenada (1823), and Crociato (Venice, 1825). The last of these afforded, perhaps, the most decisive proofs of the high genius of its author, and was received with great applause in Paris, whittler Meyerbeer now proceeded, and took up his residence. In 1831, was produced, after numerous rehearsals, his Robert le Diable, which caused an excitement "perhaps un paralleled in the history of the Parisian stage;" while it was received with nearly as great enthusiasm in England, Italy, Austria, and Russia; and in 1836, Les Iluguenots, which he reached the climax of his fame. His next opera, Le Prophete (1849), fairly sustained his reputation. It was followed by Pierre le Grand (1854), Dinorah (1858), and L' Africaine (1865). 3Ieyerbeer died May 2,1864