Garcia, Manuel del Popolo Vicente

1775-1832.

Illustrious Spanish vocalist and teacher; born at Seville, was a chorister in the cathedral at six years of age, and by the time he was seventeen was known as a singer, composer and conductor. At thirty his compositions, mostly light operas, were popular throughout his native country, but his work in this line was insignificant beside that which he later accomplished in singing and yet more in teaching. His debut as a singer occurred m Italian operas at the Opera Bouffe in Paris, 1808, and his success was immediate. In 1809 he sang in concert a monodrama of his own, Poeta calculista, previously produced in Madrid. He went to Italy in 1811, repeating his former successes, and the next year was made first tenor in Murat's Chapel, Naples. While in Italy he brought out his Caliph of Bagdad with great success, and was the recipient of honors from Rossini, who wrote for him the part of Almaviva, and the chief tenor role in Elisabetta. In 1816 he returned to Paris, bringing out several operas, and singing again at the Theatre Italien under Catalini's management, with which, however, he soon became provoked, and the next season found him in London, singing with triumphs equal to those in Italy and Paris. In 1819 he was once more singing at the Theatre Italien, and remained in Paris till 1823, singing in all the well-known Italian operas, and bringing out four operas of his own at different theatres. He then reappeared in London, singing at the Royal Opera in 1824, and founding a school of singing there. In 1825 he went to New York with the purpose of establishing Italian Opera in that city, taking with him a company among whom were his wife, his son Manuel and his daughter Maria, (afterward the famous Malibran). The next year he produced nearly a dozen new Italian operas, and gave seventy-nine performances at the Park and Bowery Theatres, New York, and in 1827 went to  Mexico, where he brought out eight operas, during a stay of a year and a half; but on the return journey the company was robbed   of all the proceeds of this work, including about six thousand pounds in gold. Garcia returned to Paris, and from this time devoted himself to teaching. He composed the following operas: La mort du Tasse, and Florestan, grand operas; Le prince d'occasion; Fazzoletto; La Meuniere; Les Deux Contrats; and Le tre sultane. In all he is said to have composed seventeen Spanish, nineteen Italian, and seven French operas. He was intelligent and musically broad beyond the majority of vocalists. A number of celebrated pupils were indebted to him for their training; including Mmes. Rimbault and Favelli, and Adolphe Nourrit, his own three children, Madame Malibran, Madame Viardot, and his son Manuel, being the most famous of all.

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