Biography
Though his heart remained Irish, Balfe achieved one of his greatest triumphs with the opera "The Bohemian Girl," a work shaped by his journeys and professional victories. Widely regarded as the foremost English opera composer of the nineteenth century, he spent time in France and Italy, where Cherubini and Rossini took note of his talent; the latter’s style left a clear mark on his Italian operas. Balfe further refined a high-quality baritone voice, an advantage that helps account for the warm public response to his ballads, since his firsthand vocal experience guided both performance and composition.
He produced an enormous quantity of music yet earned little favor from critics. Problems with text setting often arise from irregular rhythms, the result of his practice of writing music before the libretto’s dramatic ideas were in place; the same priority shaped his songs. His operas include "The Siege of Rochelle," "Falstaf," "Le puits d'amoure," "The Rose of Castille," and "The Maid of Artois." Although he explored other genres, opera remained his true domain.
He produced an enormous quantity of music yet earned little favor from critics. Problems with text setting often arise from irregular rhythms, the result of his practice of writing music before the libretto’s dramatic ideas were in place; the same priority shaped his songs. His operas include "The Siege of Rochelle," "Falstaf," "Le puits d'amoure," "The Rose of Castille," and "The Maid of Artois." Although he explored other genres, opera remained his true domain.
Albums