BALFE, half, MtcHAEr. (1808-70).
A popular English composer of operas. He was born Slay 15, 1808, in Dublin. His musical tal ent received early culture, and several anecdotes are related of his singular precocity. When only 7 years old, he played in public one of Viutti's concertos for the violin. At 9 he wrote the ballad entitled Lover's Mistake," which achieved popularity through the singing of dame Vestris. At 16 he made his debut in London as a violinist, in the Drury Lane Orches tra. In 1S25 he went to Italy, where he studied counterpoint tinder Federici at Rome. and singing under Filippo Galli at Milan, and began his suc cessful career as a composer, with music for the ballet La TYrouse, performed at La Scala. in Milan. In 1S27 he sang in the Italian Opera at Paris with Malibran and Sontag. and gained great applause and many warm friends. He however returned to Italy, and devoted himself to composition, producing in rapid succession some thirty operas, of which the most popular are: The Bohemian Girl (1543); The Rose of Castile (1857); Satunella (1858) ; and the posthumous 17 Talismano (IS74), his most serious effort. Billie lacks depth, serious musical
discipline and individuality; his style is a mix ture of English-ballad sentimentality and the Italian manner of the Rossinian period. But his gift of simple melody, his strong comic vein, his facility of writing. his peculiarly English half spoken, half-sung dialogue, and his feeling for effect have won for him a prominent place among English composers. He died at Rowney Abbey, Hertfordshire, October 20, 1870. Consult: C. L. Kenney, Memoir (London, 1875) ; and W. A. Barrett, Balla: His Life and Work (London, 1882).