WALLACE
William Vincent Wallace was born at Waterford, Ireland, 1st July, 1814; died at the château of Bayen, in the Haute-Garonne, France, 12th October, 1865. His father, a bandmaster, gave him his first instructions; and at an early age he could play most military instruments, besides being very proficient on the violin. At the age of fifteen he became Director of the Philharmonic Society in Dublin. In 1835 he set forth on a professional tour through Australia, New Zealand, India, South America, and the United States, meeting with enormous success as composer and performer. He was Director of Music at the Italian Theatre, Mexico, 1841-42. In 1845 Maritana was produced in London, and shares with Balfe's Bohemian Girl the highest popularity of any lyrical drama. Other well-known operas of Wallace's are: Lurline (1860), The Amber Witch (1861), Matilda of Hungary (1847), The Desert Flower (1863), etc.