Garcia, MANUEL

Garcia, MANUEL, vocalist and composer, was born at Seville, in Spain, 22d January 1775. After acquiring a considerable reputation as a tenor singer in Cadiz and Madrid, in 1808 he obtained great success at the Italian Opera in Paris, and afterwards proceeded to Italy, where he was received with equal favour. From 1816 to 1824 he was constantly engaged as a singer, either in Paris or London. In 1825, with a select operatic company, composed in part of members of his own family, he crossed the Atlantic, and visited New York and Mexico. On the road between Mexico and Vera Cruz he was robbed of all his money; and after his return to Paris he was compelled to open a class for singing, as his voice had become greatly impaired by age and fatigue. Many of Garcia's pupils reached a high degree of excellence, but none equalled his eldest daughter Maria, afterwards Madame Malibran (q.v.). He was less successful as a composer, although several of his works, such as Il Califo di Bagdad, were much admired. Garcia died at Paris, 10th June 1832.—PAULINE VIARDOT-GARCIA, his second daughter, born at Paris in 1821, acquired a considerable reputation as a mezzo-soprano singer, and also composed several operettas and songs.