Michael Rophino Lacy facts for kids
Michael Rophino Lacy (born July 19, 1795 – died September 20, 1867) was a talented Irish violinist and composer. He was known for his amazing musical skills from a very young age.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Michael Rophino Lacy was born in Bilbao, Spain. His father was an Irish merchant living there. Michael showed incredible musical talent early on. When he was just six years old, he performed in public for the first time. People called him a "prodigy," which means someone with extraordinary talent at a young age.
In 1802, Michael was sent to Bordeaux, a city in France. A year later, he moved to Paris to study music. His teacher was a famous violinist named Rodolphe Kreutzer.
Performing as a Young Star
Michael quickly became known for his performances. Towards the end of 1804, he played music for Napoleon, who was the Emperor of France at the time. People called him Le Petit Espagnol, which means "The Little Spaniard."
By October 1805, he was performing in London, England. There, he was known as "The Young Spaniard." His real name was kept a secret until 1807.
A Career in Music and Theatre
In 1807, Michael performed in Dublin, Ireland. He played alongside a famous singer named Angelica Catalani. They were part of Michael Kelly's opera company. Michael Lacy returned to Dublin again in 1813 for more performances.
From Acting to Leading the Ballet
For a short time, Michael Lacy tried acting. He performed in comedy plays in cities like Dublin, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. However, by 1818, he decided to focus on music again.
By 1820, he became the leader of the ballet at the King's Theatre in London. This was a very important role. He would lead the orchestra for ballet performances.
Composing and Adapting Operas
Michael Rophino Lacy was also a composer. He wrote his own music and adapted music from other composers. He worked on many operas. Operas are plays where the story is told mostly through singing.
One of his notable works was an oratorio called The Israelites in Egypt. An oratorio is like an opera but usually without costumes or staging. For this piece, created in 1833, he combined stories from two famous works. He used parts of Handel's Israel in Egypt and Rossini's Mosè in Egitto.
Famous for Adaptations
Michael Lacy was especially famous for his English versions of French and Italian operas. He took operas by composers like Auber, Mozart, and Rossini. Then, he changed them slightly and translated them into English. He produced many of these adaptations between 1827 and 1833.
Michael Rophino Lacy passed away in London in 1867.
