At last an unfortunate quarrel arose between Catalani and himself, and at the end of 1817 he went once more to England. This was only a few months after "Don Giovanni" had been given in England for the first time at the Italian Opera House, with Mesdames Fodor, Camporese, and Pasta; Signori Crivelli, Ambrogetti, and Agrisani.
His success in London was great during the ensuing season. He made his début with Mme. Fodor in "The Barber of Seville," his performance of Almaviva being, according to a critic of that time, "commensurate with his transcendent talent," while he appeared in other operas with equal éclat. During the same season he created a further sensation by singing at the chapel of the Bavarian Embassy in Warwick Street, where several masses of his own composition were given.
In 1819 he returned to Paris and became once more a member of the company at the Théâtre Italien, Catalani having failed and resigned the reins of management during his absence in England. Here he repeated his old success in "Otello" and "Don Giovanni," and also took part, on October 26, in the first performance of "Il Barbiere" ever given in Paris, at the Salle Louvois. It was again received coldly, as had been the case on the original production in Rome three and a half years before. Once more the critics demanded the "Barbiere" of Paisiello, which was accordingly put on the stage at the Théâtre Italien, only to meet with dismal failure; and thus in the end Rossini triumphed with it in the French capital, as he had in that of Italy.
The cast of this Parisian première was as follows:
| Rosina | Mme. Ronzi de Begnis. |
| Figaro | Signor Pellegrini. |
| Bartolo | Signor Graziani. |
| Basilio | Signor de Begnis. |
| Almaviva | Signor Garcia. |
In addition to appearing at the opera Garcia père continued to compose prolifically. "La Mort du Tasse" and "Florestan" were produced at the Grand Opera, "Fazzoletto" at the Théâtre Italien, and "La Meunière" at the Gymnase, while three others were finished but never performed.
Moreover, he devoted a good deal of attention to teaching singing, his fame attracting a number of pupils, while at the close of the year 1819 he published a book on his 'Method of Singing.'
In the spring of the following year, in which took place the accession of George IV. to the throne of England, Manuel Garcia paid a flying visit to Spain. It was destined to be the last time he ever saw his native country. The fact is a curious one when we remember his intense love for Spain, which was so strong that, in spite of his spending the last fifty-eight years of his life in England, nothing would have induced him to become a naturalised British subject.
On his return from Madrid he commenced the study of harmony, for, as has been already stated, his father was a firm believer in the necessity of every singer being a musician in the broadest sense of the word. For this work he was placed under François Joseph Fétis, who had just succeeded Elen as professor of counterpoint and fugue at the Conservatoire. This was six years before Fétis became librarian of the institution—a position in which he was enabled to prepare his famous 'Biographie Universelle des Musiciens,' which is one of the greatest monuments to the achievements of musical genius ever reared. He was indeed a remarkable man, who displayed talent not only as teacher, but composer, historian, critic, and author of various theoretical works.
In 1821, the year of Napoleon's death, Manuel's youngest sister was born—Michelle Ferdinande Pauline,—who was in after years to become no less famous than Maria. The second and third names were given her in honour of her sponsors, Ferdinand Paër and Princess Pauline Galitzin.