Costa, SIR MICHAEL

Costa, SIR MICHAEL, a popular musical conductor and composer, was born at Naples, 4th February 1810. As he early showed a decided talent for music, he was sent to the Royal Academy in his native city for education, where he greatly distinguished himself and produced various compositions (1825-29). He settled in England, and in 1831 his ballet of Kenilworth was produced with success. He was conductor at the King's Theatre (1832), at Covent Garden (1846), to the Philharmonic Concerts (1846), and to the Sacred Harmonic Society (1848). His great work, the oratorio Eli, produced at the Birmingham Festival of 1855 (where he conducted till 1879), raised him to eminence as a composer. Naaman, which was less successful, was first sung in Birmingham in 1864. From 1857 till 1877 he conducted at the Handel Festival, and in 1871 he became director of Her Majesty's Opera. He was knighted by the Queen in 1869. Costa was the author of several ballets, and of some operas, including Malek Adhel (1838) and Don Carlos (1844). As a composer he holds a respectable place in the second rank, but it is as a conductor that he will be longest remembered, Meyerbeer, in 1862, styling him 'the greatest chef d'orchestre in the world.' He died 29th April 1884.