Cesare Bossi (1773—September 1802) was an Italian-born composer. He is most known as a composer of ballets which he wrote for the
King's Theatre in Haymarket in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
Career
Bossi was born in
Ferrara
Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...
in 1773.
[John Denison Champlin, ''Cyclopedia of music & musicians'' (New York: Scribner, 1888), vol. 1, p. 217.]
None of the sources provide information about his training or early career. One source states that while in Italy he wrote operas as well as piano music including sonatas.
[
In 1795 he emigrated to London.][''A Dictionary of Musicians from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time...'' (London: Sainsbury & Co., 1824), vol. 1 p. 108.][Philip H. Highfill, et al., ''A biographical dictionary of actors, actresses, musicians, dancers, managers & other stage personnel in London, 1660-1800'' (Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1973), vol. 2, page 240-241.] There he became associated with the King's Theatre in Haymarket where he was a composer of ballets, a conductor, and responsible for the musical preparation of operas. "In this task there have been few who could excel him."[William Bingley, ''Musical biography'' 2nd edition (London: Henry Colburn, 1834), vol. 2, p. 310.][ His association with the theatre lasted from 1795 to 1796 through the 1799–1800 season. Most of his ballets were written between 1796 and 1800.][ It was said that he composed with "unexampled rapidity."][ and that his melodies were of high quality.][
He married a Mademoise del Caro, a dancer in the company. She began to be billed as "Madame Bossi" as of 6 February 1796.][ By 2 June 1800 the couple were living at No. 1 Great Suffolk Street.][
In September 1802, the ''Monthly Mirror'' reported that Bossi had died in the ]King's Bench Prison
The King's Bench Prison was a prison in Southwark, south London, England, from medieval times until it closed in 1880. It took its name from the King's Bench court of law in which cases of defamation, bankruptcy and other misdemeanours were he ...
"of a deep decline." The paper called him "A musical professor of eminent talents."[ He left his widow Del Caro and four children.][
]
List of works
Ballets[
Other works
*Overture to ''Blue Beard'' (opera by Michael Kelly) (most vocal scores of the opera have Kelly's own overture)
*Pas de trois from ''La fille mal gardée'' (bulk of ballet composed by unidentified composer, 18 April 1799)
*Hornpipe from ''Barbara and Allen'' (ballet by James Harvey D'Egville)
*Variations, D minor, piano]
References
External links
*
1773 births
1802 deaths
Ballet in London
Italian male classical composers
{{Italy-composer-stub