Madam, - I wonder how many of your readers are aware that 2008 is the bicentenary of the birth of Michael W Balfe, the Irish-born composer of 28 operas, the best-known being The Bohemian Girl. The anniversary is being celebrated in the UK as that of a"great British composer of the 19th century". It will also be celebrated in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
Ireland so rarely gets the opportunity to proclaim a celebrated composer as one of its own, so 2008 should be should not be allowed to slip by without due recognition of Balfe's contribution to the international music scene.
In the past 50 years one of the great drawbacks of the performance of his operas by amateur opera companies was the standard of the casts; regrettably people often tend to judge the music on the singers. The soprano Christine Nilsson who sang at the opening night of the Metropolitan NY in 1883 was the lead singer in the world premiere of Balfe's Il Talismano in 1874. Articles will appear in many academic journals and magazines in commemoration of the event and there have been two very important academic books on Balfe's life and operas published in the last couple of years: M W Balfe and his English Operas by Tyldesley and English Opera from 1834 to 1864 by Biddlecombe, very welcome additions to the study of Balfe.
A new and detailed biography, by Basil Walsh, has also been published with much new information on his career.
If any of these operas are to be performed this year, work on preparation needs to start as soon as possible. All the necessary information is on the Balfe website.
If your readers look at this site they will be amazed at the
standard of Balfe's output:
http://www.britishandirishworld.com/- Yours, etc,
DEREK WALSH,
Sundrive Park,
Kimmage,
Dublin.