The operas of Balfe -- "The English Rossini" -- his first opera: I RIVALE DI SE STESSI -- ENRICO QUARTO AL PASSO DELLA MARNA -- LA ZINGARA (1854: Trieste -- February -- Brescia, Verona, e Bologna -- and London in 1856) -- I QUATTRO FRATELLI (libretto: Maggioni) -- IL TALISMANO (libretto: G. Zaffira, Londra, 1874, tenor: Italo Campanini)

Speranza

19th Century Opera                                MICHAEL WILLIAM BALFE © Composer of "The Bohemian Girl" and 27 other operas This site covers the life, times and works of the important nineteenth-century Irish born composer, Michael W. Balfe.      Balfe  wrote 28 operas, for London, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Milan, Trieste and Palermo - many of his operas have been performed around the world during the past 170 or more years.                                                                             © The Playbill for Balfe's most famous opera, The Bohemian Girl which premiered at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in November 1843. ___________________________________ "Balfe was the most interesting British musical figure of the nineteenth-century... he was a very good, highly intelligent and cultivated musician" Sir Thomas Beecham - Festival of Britain, August 1951 _____________________________________ ".... Balfe indeed was our Rossini and also, in a measure, our Auber...." Remembrance notice (J. W. Davison) - London Times, 12 June 1874 Biography                           Michael W. Balfe, A Unique Victorian Composer (Foreword by conductor, Richard Bonynge)                                                                                                                                                   ____________________________________________ INDEX to time-line sections for general Balfe website below (Scroll-down to your section of interest below) I. ) The Singer and Composer's Active Years                           1808-1824 - Early life as a child prodigy in Dublin and London.                             - 1825-1834 - Paris, Milan, Venice. Rossini, Bellini, Grisi, Malibran.                             - 1835-1840 - With Maria Malibran in Venice. London's new composer.                             - 1841-1850 - Paris, London - The Bohemian Girl. Vienna, Dublin.                             - 1851-1870 - St. Petersburg, Vienna, Jenny Lind, Giuseppe Verdi. II.) The Composer's Personal Life, His Operatic Works, Recordings & Literary References                             Balfe's personal side - his wife and family. Balfe' death.                             Balfe's memory is honored in London and Dublin. His final opera performed.                                                  - Listing of Balfe's 28 operatic works and Balfe's 250+ songs                              Listing of recordings of Balfe's music and operas. Italian opera Falstaff CD set.                             - Books and Literary references, including James Joyce. New Balfe Book.                             - Great singers who performed Balfe's operas and musical works.                            - Balfe's 200th anniversary, Falstaff recording and availability of Scores Read the outstanding review of Balfe's Falstaff CD set in Opera News (June 2009) Visit Amazon review of the Falstaff CD set: http://www.amazon.com/review/RMY4DJDJPPPH3                                                                                                            Balfe biography published for his bicentenary in 2008 Irish Classical Music Pioneers - Seven Irish born who made a difference _______________________________     1808-1824 Balfe early days in Dublin Michael W. Balfe 'was born on 15 May 1808, at 10 Pitt Street (changed to Balfe Street, in 1917), Dublin, Ireland.   Young Balfe demonstrated significant musical abilities from an early age. In Dublin he took violin and music lessons with the well established musician James Barton and composer William (Rourke) Rooke (1794-1847), and with Meadows in Wexford. 1.2) The Child Prodigy performs at the Rotunda Concert Rooms, Dublin © Rotunda Concert Rooms, Dublin in the 19th Century. "Balfe, a child prodigy first performed publicly on the violin at a concert in the Rotunda Concert Rooms (shown here) Dublin on 30 May 1817, at the age of nine. As far as it is known, this was his "debut" concert. Other concerts quickly followed, at the Crow Street Theatre and again at the Rotunda all with great success over the next few years. The young performer's first musical composition "The Lover's Mistake," was published in December 1822 by Isaac Willis, Music Publisher of, 7 Westmoreland Street, Dublin and London. On the death of his father early in January 1823, Balfe left Dublin for London where he took music lessons with Charles Horn (1786-1849) and Horn's father "Carl Frederick Horn (1762-1830). During this time he also participated in selected concerts as a soloist on the violin. His first concert was in 1823, at Drury Lane when he performed a concerto for violin. In March 1823 the 15 year old Balfe participated in his first major concert in London Shortly thereafter, Balfe, joined the orchestra at the Drury Lane Theatre, which was then under the direction of fellow Irishman Tom Cooke (1782- 1848). __________________________   1825-1834 In Search of a Career   In 1825, Balfe, interested in broadening his studies first went to Paris where he was introduced to the great composer, Luigi Cherubini, (1760-1842). He took lessons in composition with Cherubini during this period. Balfe also spent the next few years in Italy studying to be an operatic singer and a composer. While in Milan in the summer of 1825 Balfe was given an assignment to compose the music for a "Ballo Pantomino Serio" by the Director of the Teatro Canobbiana, an Englishman by the name of Joseph Glossup (1793-1850). The Ballo Pantomino was called, Il Naufragio di La Peyrouse by William (Blewit) Barrymore (1759-1830) of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. La Peyrouse, Teatro Canobbiana, Milan autumn 1825 Dissatisfied with his progress in Italy Balfe returned to Paris in 1827 where he went to see Cherubini who introduced him to Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).  Rossini then at his very zenith as a composer in Europe took a personal interest in Balfe and his musical and vocal talents.  At Rossini's invitation and after a period of vocal study with Giulio Bordogni (1789-1856) Balfe made his debut early in 1828 at the Theatre des Italiens as "Figaro" in "Il barbiere di Siviglia," singing opposite 'Henriette Sontag (1806-1854), and other leading singers. Theatre Italiens, Paris where Balfe made his professional operatic debut in 1828 2.2) The Emerging Singer and Composer - Italy Balfe a baritone, decided to return to Italy late in 1828. Towards the end of December 1828, he was in Milan where he sang in a concert. 'He then went on to Bologna where he became the guest of Rossini's friend, 'Marchese Francesco Sampieri, an important patron of the arts and a composer, whom he had met in Paris. Here he met the young soprano Giulia Grisi (1811-1869) at the start of what would become a brilliant career for the soprano in Europe, Russia and briefly America. These two vocalists, Balfe and Grisi 18 were immediately attracted to each other. They enjoyed each others company and musical talents. Balfe composed a musical cantata for Grisi to perform and another vocalist to perform. This early relationship in  Italy developed into a life-long friendship. She was the premier soprano in London and Paris for decades and helped Balfe with his career there as a composer. 2.3) Italy - 1829 During this period in Italy, Balfe composed his first and only known "Sinfonia" 'and a Cantata for two voices which Giulia Grisi and the tenor Francesco Pedrazzi sang. Balfe was also recognized by the prestigious Bologna 'Academy of Music, for his talents. He was made a honorary lifetime member of the Academy in the composer category. Balfe's only known "Sinfonia - Composed in 1829 in Bologna - Instruments page No. 2 of 88 pages. 'After Bologna, Balfe moved south, to Palermo, in Sicily where he had an operatic engagement and also composed his first opera, I rivale di se stessi at the request of the manager of the Teatro Carolina in Palermo.  He subsequently sang in several operas including the part of Valdeburgo in Bellini's opera "La straniera" at the Teatro Carolino in Palermo.   "The next several years were spent as a singer and a composer of operas. By 1833, he had composed three (3) operas which had been produced at Palermo(1829), Pavia(1831) and Milan (1833). © A soprano aria from Balfe's opera Enrico IV al passo della Marna (Teatro Carcano, Milan 1833)"It was also during this time (1831) while in Milan that he first met and later married (in Lugano, Switzerland), Lina Roser (1810-1888), who was then singing in Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini operas and the works of other composers at, the Teatro Carcano in Milan and the Teatro Riccardi in Bergamo. Balfe and his new wife, Lina Roser-Balfe were both in the Milan area during such historic moments, as the premiers of Bellini's Norma (December 1831) and La Sonnambula (March 1831), and possibly, Donizetti's Anna Bolena (December 1830).   During the early 1830s Balfe and his wife, also kept up a busy schedule performing in operas by Bellini, Pacini, Ricci, Donizetti, Rossini and others in places such as, Venice, Milan, Trieste, Bergamo, Mantua, Parma, Piacenza, Turin, Varese, Pavia, Novara, and no doubt, other places in northern Italy.   2.4) Maria Malibran & Balfe at La Scala, Milan In May 1834 Balfe made his debut at La Scala, Milan, singing opposite his friend, (from Paris) the renowned mezzo-soprano, 'Maria Malibran (1808-1836), in Rossini's "Otello." "The performances were so successful that they gave repeat performances in October of the same year at La Scala with the same cast. © La Scala, Milan around the time Balfe and Malibran sang there together in 1834    1835-1840 3. Balfe and Maria Malibran in Venice Balfe sang with Maria Malibran again, this time in Venice at the Teatro La Fenice. This was early in 1835. Malibran also sang Norma there in April 1835 with Lina Roser Balfe singing Adalgisa. Arrival at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice 19th century It was during this time she also agreed to sing a "benefit" performance of Bellini's La Sonnambula (with Balfe at Count Rodolfo and the tenor Lorenzo Bonfigli as Elvino) at the Teatro Emeronittio for the manager, Gallo. To show his appreciation, Gallo renamed his Theatre "Teatro M. F. G. Malibran" (Maria Felicia Garcia-Malibran) in recognition of her generosity. This turned out to be a sensational performance, with Malibran receiving over 30 curtain calls. The theatre still retains the Malibran name today, in remembrance of that long ago eventful night in April 1835 when Malibran and Balfe sang together in Bellini's beautiful opera in Venice. Maria Malibran & Balfe in La Sonnambula in Venice La Sonnambula at The Teatro Malibran - April, 1835 The notice of the special performance of La Sonnambula in April 1835, in Venice with Maria Malibran in the title role and "Guglielmo Balfe" as Count Rodolfo. During this period Malibran recognized Balfe's emerging musical talents as a composer. She called him the "English Rossini." given his musical skills. He in turn committed to write an opera for her they talked about Hamlet as the subject and later, Esmeralda (Hunchback of Notre Dame story) however, they decided to postpone the project until a time in the future. London would be the location where Balfe would compose his new opera for Malibran in 1836.   Balfe returned to London in May 1835, with his wife Lina and their firstborn child, Louisa "Gigia" as they called her, where he performed at a concert with Lablache, Tamburini, Rubini and Grisi and others, at Vauxhall PleasureGardens.    It was shortly after this period that Balfe completed his first opera for London. His London debut as an operatic composer took place, in October 1835 with the premiere of what was to be his highly successful, "The Siege of Rochelle" at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. This was the start of Balfe's brilliant career as a composer of operatic works for London. Maria Malibran premieres Balfe's "The Maid of Artois" London 1836 His initial success was quickly followed by another opera " 'The Maid of Artois " which he composed to fulfill his promise to his good friend, "Maria Malibran" who performed in the premiere on May 27, 1836 at Drury Lane theatre in London. The presence of Malibran created a great financial success'. 'Tragically, the renowned Malibran died the following September age 28, in Manchester as a result of an earlier horse-riding accident. Balfe was devastated when he heard the new.It also appears that the last complete opera the great prima donna sang was one composed by Balfe, The Maid of Artois. © Maria Malibran who created the Maid of Artois, in London (1836) Along with his success as a composer of operas, Balfe continued to sing in opera and concerts in the 1830s. Balfe sang in two Mozart operas in London in the late 1830's.   'In 1838 Balfe composed his first Italian opera for London', "Falstaff" based on the Shakespeare play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor." The Italian libretto was written by an experienced London based translator of operas for leading composers, S. Manfredo Maggioni (1810-1870?) © Playbill for the premiere of Falstaff, London, July 1838 The great Luigi Lablache was in the title role with Grisi, Rubini and Tamburini creating the other principal parts. The opera was very successful. This same group of singers had created Bellini's beautiful opera, I Puritani, in Paris three years earlier, in 1835, also with great success. The Librettist was S. Manfredo Maggioni. Falstaff librettist, S. Manfredo Maggioni Balfe's Italian Opera - Falstaff, world premiere recording! A CD recording by OPERA IRELAND-RTE/Lyricfm, of the September 2008 performance in Dublin is now available. This is a unique work in the great Italian tradition of Donizetti and Rossini. Balfe's Falstaff had its premiere at London's prestigious Italian Opera in July 1838. Visit Amazon review of the CD set: http://www.amazon.com/review/RMY4DJDJPPPH3 Read the outstanding review of the Balfe Falstaff CD set in Opera News (June 2009)   3.5) First Return Visit to Ireland -1838 Balfe first returned to Ireland in 1838, where he sang in operas and in concerts. In addition to Dublin he also traveled to other places in Ireland, Cork being one of the cities.   1841-1850 4.1) The London Theatre Manager Balfe turned theatre manager in London in 1841, fot the purpose of creating a National English Opera organization in Britain. Queen Victoria supported the venture to create a permanent national operatic group at the Lyceum Theatre on the Strand.   This venture was quite unsuccessful for a variety of reasons not the least of which was the lack of support Balfe received from his fellow composers who were supposed to write new operas for the occasion, and didn't. However, additionally Balfe's managerial and financial skills did not measure-up either. He went bankrupt after six months.   Disgusted with the entire endeavor he announced from the stage of the Lyceum that he would never venture into Theatre Management again. Shortly afterwards he left for Paris, where he gave concerts with the help of Érard the piano manufacturer. He later received a commission to write a new opera, for the Opera Comique. It would be his first opera for Paris. The New Operatic Composer in Paris -1843 © Balfe's first French opera, Le Puits D'Amour premiered early in 1843 in Paris Balfe went on to compose several other operas for Paris. His success in Paris gave him great international recognition at a level never previously experienced by any British composer. A New Opera for London The Bohemian Girl - His Most Successful Work After about a year and a half in Paris Balfe returned to London where he introduced an English version of his successful French opera   , under the title of "Geraldine - The Lover's Well" in August 1843. A few months later, his most famous and most lasting opera, "'The Bohemian Girl," was first produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on November 27, 1843.  Balfe composed most of this work at his home in central London ; although it's quite possible that some of work on the score was initially done in Paris earlier in the year. "After the highly successful run of over 100 nights at Drury Lane, performances of 'The Bohemian Girl" were soon mounted in: New York 1844; Dublin 1844, Philadelphia 1844, Vienna (with a German libretto) 1846, Sydney 1846, Prague 1847, Stockholm 1849, Berlin 1850. Trieste, Brescia, Verona & Bologna (with an Italian libretto) in 1854 In Zurich 1854, Amsterdam 1855, Rouen 1862 (French libretto), Gothenburg 1865, Paris 1868/9, Toronto 1874, New Orleans 1876, Mexico 1884 and in Cape Town in 1887, etc., etc. The Bohemian Girl - Performed the World Over. For more than 150 years, Balfe's most popular opera, "'The Bohemian Girl," has been performed with remarkable success in the English speaking world of, America, Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and elsewhere. A CD recording of the opera is available. See recordings section below. It received a concert performances in Carnegie Hall in New York as recently as 2003 and in Dublin and in the UK in 2008.                                                   Vienna, Pest (Budapest), Danzig, Munich, Linz and Stuttgart - 1844-1850s Balfe's opera Die Vier Haimonskinder (translated from his 1844 French work, Les quatre fils Aymon) was performed with great acclaim during this period in these cities. It later was staged in Leipzig and other cities and towns and again in Vienna over a period of many years. © Balfe's opera, Die Vier Haimonskinder (Les quatre fils Aymon) was performed in Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Prague and other German speaking cities throughout the 19th century Paris 1845 - Balfe's opera L'etoil de Seville Towards the end of 1845 Balfe returned to Paris to prepare for the premiere of his new opera which was written specially for the Paris Opera. This was a historical moment as it was the first time a "British" musician had been invited to compose a new opera for this important venue. and the great pianist, Frederic Chopin and most of the leading composers of the period. Chopin recorded the event somewhat negatively in his writings to family members in Poland, complaining about the Balfe work being given priority over a Meyerbeer opera! L'Etoile De Seville, Paris Opera, December 1845 - 15 perfo rmances with a stellar cast Balfe's cast included such distinguished singers as, tenor Italo Gardoni, mezzo-soprano, Rosine Stoltz, soprano Maria Nau, and the baritone Paul Barroilhet. The opera was given 15 performances with considerable success. It was later performed in Brussels and then translated into German for Vienna, however it does not appear to have ever been performed there. London - 1846-1852 - Balfe Director at the Italian Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre, London Balfe was appointed the director of Her Majesty's Theatre in London in 1846. It was a position he held for the next seven years until 1852. During that time he introduced several of Verdi's opera to London along with other local operatic premieres. He also premiered his own work, I Quattro Fratelli an augmented version of his very successful, French opera Les quatre fils Aymon (Paris 1844) In August 1851, Balfe premiered his three act opera buffa, I Quattro Fratelli at London's Italian Opera with significant new dynamic vocal music written for his star dramatic coloratura soprano, Sophie Cruvelli. The opera was a remarkable success. The libretto was by his friend, S. Manfredo Maggioni (1808-1870?) © The Italian Opera - London circa 1850 Balfe with Giuseppe Verdi and Jenny Lind in London 1846-47 Balfe was also the principal conductor for the Italian Opera at Her Majesty's theatre, London. He conducted Jenny Lind's (1820-1887) London debut in opera and most of her subsequent performances in that city and in Dublin. Balfe also conducted the local London premiere of the young Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901), first successful opera, Nabucco. © The famous soprano, Jenny Lind (c.1849) Giuseppe Verdi circa 1847 When Giuseppe Verdi first arrived in London to conduct his new opera, I Masnadieri, with Jenny Lynn and Luigi Lablache, Balfe worked with him at rehearsals. Later when the Italian composer left London after conducting two performances, Balfe took up the baton to finish the run of the Italian composer's new opera. Early in the year 1847, Benjamin Lumley the London impresario and Balfe mounted a special concert at Her Majesty's Theatre for the benefit of Famine related distressed Irish people. The concert raised £2,000. Various members of the aristocracy were also directly involved as part of the fund raising committee and funds distribution. The money was distributed in Ireland.   In 1846 Balfe went to Vienna to direct and conduct his opera Die Zigeunerin (The Bohemian Girl). The opera once again had incredible success. It went on to be performed there and also in other German speaking cities until the end of the century. © An elegant looking Michael Balfe, age 38, in Vienna (1846) at the time of the premiere of Die Zigeunerinthe German version of his famous opera, The Bohemian Girl    1851-1870   In London in 1851 in honor of the upcoming Great International Exhibition in London, Balfe composed an extraordinary cantata titled, Inno Delle Nazioni - Onore alla Gran Bretagna in which the nine (9) vocal parts were sung by nine leading females singers each representing a country. The accompaniment was piano, harp and horn. © Balfe's cantata for nine female voices, performed in London in May 1851 The Bohemian Girl - Performed in English, German, Italian and French. And other languages. An Italian adaptation and translation of " 'The Bohemian Girl" titled, "La Zingara" was mounted in Trieste in 1854. It was a great success. Performances quickly followed in other Italian cities, Bologna, Bergamo, Brescia, and Verona.    Later La Zingara was performed in: London (1856), Dublin (1858), New York (1858) and in Boston and San Francisco.  A German language version, "Die Zigeunerin" premiered in Vienna, in 1846. It was later heard in Berlin, Frankfurt (Balfe's friend, Jenny Lind attended the Frankfurt performance), Hamburg, Darmstadt, Munich, Stuttgart, Budapest, Leipzig and other cities. In 1862 a four-act French version "La Bohemienne" premiered in Rouen, in France with the very young (20 years old) future great French composer, Jules Massenet conducting. The star of the evening however, was Celestine Galli-Marie (role of the Gypsy Queen) who a number of years later went on to create Thomas' Mignon (1866), and Bizet's Carmen (1875). A revised augmented version of Balfe's opera reached Paris © An greatly augmented French version of The Bohemian Girl, premiered in Paris in 1869 The success of The Bohemian Girl was unprecedented for opera in the 19th century. The only other work that was close to it in terms of popularity around the world was Verdi's Ernani (1844). 5.3) The Composer in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Vienna and Trieste 'The years 1852-53 saw Balfe travel to Danzig to visit his eldest daughter Louisa "Gigia" (Balfe) Behrens and her family after which he traveled by coach to St. Petersburg in Russia for concerts. He later went on to Moscow for more concerts, after which he returned to Danzig for a rest before going on to Vienna to direct a German version of his opera Keolanthe. In 1854 he went to Trieste to premiere La Zingara. He also returned to Russia in the 1860's. 5.4) New York - The Academy of Music -1854 Strangely, 'Balfe never visited America, although there were strong rumors circulating in New York in 1854-5 that the composer was to become the Director of the Academy of Music on 14th Street. However, nothing came of it.   5.5) The Successful Composer of 250 Songs, Several Cantatas and at least One Symphony Balfe was remarkably productive during these years, between composing operas he wrote songs with text by some of the most famous poets of the time. These included, Tennyson, Longfellow, Falconer, Morris, Rankin, Kingsley, Desmond Ryan, Guernsey, Carpenter, and Thomas Moore were some of the poets and writers who penned the words for Balfe songs. 5.6) Popular Songs/Moore's Irish Melodies Over a 35 year period many of Balfe's songs achieved great popularity for example songs such as,   "Killarney" "Come into the Garden Maud" - " 'The Sands of Dee" "Trust her not" "The Arrow and the Song" "Excelsior" "Margarita" - "There is a name I never breathe" - "The First Kiss" - "The Song of Love & Death" "Good night! Good night, beloved" etc. etc. See the full lists of know Balfe songs below. Moore's Irish Melodies - In 1859 Balfe was also contracted by the London music publisher, Novello & Co to update and complete a new arrangement of Moore's Irish Melodies. It was an endeavor he very much enjoyed. 5. 7) Cantatas In 1829 in Bologna, Balfe composed his first Cantata. He specifically wrote it for his friend the future great soprano, Giulia Grisi, then aged 18. She performed it with the tenor Francesco Pedrazzi with much success.    'He also composed at least eight other Cantatas, one for the great singer Maria Malibran, and one for such other illustrious singers as the mezzo-soprano, Pauline Viardot-Garcia (Malibran's sister) and the great tenor, Gilbert Duprez in Paris in 1842. © The performers of this 1842 Paris cantata (with harp, violin and piano) were detailed in Balfe's own handwriting on the opening page of the autograph score. Balfe composed his better known Cantata Mazeppa later on in 1862 to words by J. Rankin. 5.8) The Composer's only known Symphony Balfe composed his one and only known Sinfonia in 1829. The music for this (88 pages) and other early works has recently been discovered in Europe and copies obtained. Hopefully these important pieces will get an airing some day soon. 5.9) The Astounding Michael William Balfe - Summary, The Years, 1835-60 Balfe's output and energy during the years 1835-1860 was astounding. Some years he was actually composing operas for London, Paris and/or Vienna at the same time, or had two of his opera running in London while he was conducting other composer's works there. He was simply amazing. _________________________________________________                              'Balfe was married for almost 40 years to Lina Roser-Balfe. She survived him by 18 years, dying in London in 1888.  They had two sons and two daughters. The younger son, Edward died in infancy. The other son named Michael William after his father, survived his parents by many years spending most of his life between London and New York. He died in London in 1915. 6.2) Balfe's Wife - Lina (Magdalena) Roser Balfe (1810-1888) - also an important singer Balfe's wife Lina was born in Budapest (Pest), Hungary of an Austrian father in 1810, and perhaps an Austrian mother. It appears that her mother possibly died during childbirth, as she was raised by Austrian foster parents, the Vogels. Her father, Franz de Paula Roser (1779-1830) who was working as a musician, theatre manager and composer in Pest when she was born. The father had been a pupil of W. A. Mozart during the year 1789, when he was a child. He was also a composer of significance in Vienna where more than 60 of his operettas were performed during his lifetime. Lina a soprano, was an excellent singer, performing in Milan from around 1829 and afterwards in Venice, Bergamo, Parma, Mantua, Turin, Varese and elsewhere in Italy in the 1830s. She studied with one of Mozart's sons, Karl T. Mozart in Milan during 1828/29. Shortly after the death of her husband, Michael W. Balfe in 1870, Lina Balfe donated her large collection of his original scores and music to the British Museum/Library. The Balfe collection which is very extensive is held by the British Library today. The listing of the collection can be viewed online. Copies of musical scores can also be ordered online. 6.3) Daughter - Louisa Balfe-Behrend (1832-1869)   Balfe's first daughter Louisa "Gigia," was born in Italy (probably in Milan) in 1832. In 1850 she married a well established Danzig merchant 28 year old Maximiliam Behrend in London and lived in Danzig and Berlin, before the family eventually moved to England. 'Louisa Behrend (Balfe) died in London in 1869. 'There were eight children from the Louisa/Max Behrend marriage. Descendants of this branch of the Balfe/Behrend family exists today, in Britain and elsewhere. 6.4) Son - Michael W. Balfe Jr. (1836(?) -1915) Balfe's son who was born in London circa late 1836 (?), was not successful in his efforts to follow in his father's footsteps as a composer. He was married in London in 1863. He later spent several years in New York where he went with his wife, Norah and their young daughter, Maud. His wife later died and he remarried. Their family grew, they had another daughter, Victoria and two sons, Michael William and William each born in New York (Brooklyn). While in New York he worked not too successfully as a, "Fitter" and later an Insurance sales person. He died in London at an Infirmary in 1915 aged 79. 6.5) Daughter - Victoire Balfe-de Frias (Paris 1837?-1871) ©