Michael Kelly (tenor)
Michael Kelly was born on the 25th of December 1762 in Dublin. His father Thomas held a prominent social position as Master of Ceremonies at Dublin Castle. This role placed the family within the seat of British government in Ireland. Young Michael received serious musical training from a young age. His first teachers were Italians named Passerini and Niccolò Peretti. Peretti sang the title role in Thomas Arne's opera Artaxerxes. He possessed what Kelly called true portamento, a technique little understood by the 1820s. The boy studied the air In infancy our hopes and fears composed for Peretti. He also learned keyboard from Michael Arne, son of the composer. During vacations he attended Dr Burke's academy where he met many men of genius. Singing lessons came from signor St Giorgio at the Rotunda. Piano instruction arrived from Philip Cogan, organist of St Patrick's Cathedral. John Neale, a surgeon-violinist who visited the family constantly, tutored him in an aria from Vento's opera Demofoonte. Visitors to the Kelly home included distinguished musicians like François-Hippolyte Barthélemon and Wilhelm Cramer. Venanzio Rauzzini took the young singer under his wing while visiting Dublin in 1778. Rauzzini taught him songs including Fuggiamo di questo loco which Linley later introduced into The Duenna.
In May 1779 Kelly traveled to Naples as a protégé of Sir William Hamilton. He enrolled with Fenaroli at the 1537 Conservatorio Santa Maria di Loreto. The conservatory granted him special privileges. He began attending operas and ballets while receiving introductions to noble houses. Hamilton arranged a meeting with the King and Queen of Naples. They heard him sing before witnessing the August 1779 eruption of Vesuvius together. During a festival visit to Sicily in Spring 1780 Giuseppe Aprile offered free tuition. Kelly went first to Gaeta where he sang a salve regina under Aprile. He then moved to Palermo studying several hours daily as his voice dropped to tenor. Soon he performed tenor arias forming the original repertoire of Giacomo Davide and Giovanni Ansani. His first regular Festival appearance occurred at the Chiesa Grande in Palermo within a motet by Gennario Maro. Aprile taught him works by Metastasio and other Italian poets. When their season ended Aprile declared him ready to sing in any theatre in Europe. Letters of introduction arrived from Andrea Campigli, impresario of Florence Teatro La Pergola. A ship took him to Livorno where he met Stephen and Nancy Storace for the first time.
Kelly presented himself to Court composer Antonio Salieri upon arriving in Vienna. His debut was successful though the theatre sat within the palace itself. Emperor Joseph II attended performances and many rehearsals regularly. He became friendly with actors Friedrich Ludwig Schröder and others. A trip to Eisenstadt allowed three days visiting Haydn. In Vienna he met composers Wanhal and Dittersdorf but found special friendship during a dinner. He sat between Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart that evening. They often dined together while he invariably lost billiards matches to Mozart. Close bonds formed with Mozart's young English pupil Thomas Attwood. Kelly sang opposite Nancy Storace throughout this company period. In 1785 they performed Stephen Storace's opera Gli sposi malcontenti. After she lost her voice temporarily he sang three operas with Mmes Cortellini, Antonia Bernasconi and Laschi. He won applause humorously modeling a character on da Ponte mannerisms witnessed by that writer. Paisiello's The Barber of Seville featured Kelly alternating Count roles with Mandini. When Paisiello arrived at court he witnessed his meeting with Mozart. Giovanni Battista Casti also arrived producing Il re Teodoro in Venezia alongside Paisiello. Kelly took the buffo role of Gaforio which became his nickname thereafter.
Kelly returned to London arriving mid-March after leaving Vienna in February 1787. He and Stephen Storace met immediately with Thomas Linley and his daughters. They saw John Kemble and Mrs Crouch in Richard Coeur de Lion. His Drury Lane debut occurred in Dibdin's Lionel and Clarissa introducing an original duet orchestrated by Storace. He then played Young Meadows in Arne's Love in a Village adding a Glück song in English. Next appearances came at Theatre Royal opposite Mrs Crouch who remained his stage partner for many years. A friendship developed with John Philpot Curran during this period. Entry into oratorio work for Dr Arnold faced delays yet he sang in May 1787 Handel commemoration at Westminster Abbey. June brought performances in Dublin playing Lionel as first bacchanal in Comus. The pair led York in these works for Tate Wilkinson giving Maid of the Mill and Sheridan's The Duenna at Leeds. Summer tours set patterns for future years. In summer 1788 they toured Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Worcester and Birmingham before deciding against returning to Vienna. Oratorio work with Mme Mara began while she played Mandane in Artaxerxes for him. Engaged as principal tenor of Ancient Concerts under Joah Bates he sang Handel's Deeper and deeper still.
No reliable register exists for Kelly's compositions despite claims of authorship. In his Reminiscence he lists 62 works for various London theatres which he had composed and selected. This means he often mixed own music with that of other composers or arranged works by others. Cases exist where share of original contribution remains unclear and may vary greatly. In some instances Kelly merely wrote melody relying on professional assistants for orchestration and technique. First Cinderella Pantomime in England was claimed as 1804 production at Drury Lane with music by Michael Kelly. An 1801 comic opera The Gypsy Prince written collaboratively with Thomas Moore proved unsuccessful. Some original operas include Blue Beard or Female Curiosity premiering the 16th of January 1798 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Pizarro appeared the 24th of May 1799 also at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with libretto by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Love Laughs at Locksmith opened the 25th of July 1803 at Theatre Royal Haymarket. He wrote many songs including one best known being The Woodpecker to words by Thomas Moore. Recordings of his music remain extremely rare appearing only on specific LPs and CDs issued decades later.
In 1826 Kelly published entertaining Reminiscences written with assistance from Theodore Hook. Doubt has been cast on reliability of his own account regarding historical events. Any statement of Kelly's is immediately suspect according to critics like Richard Graves. His father died before he could complete certain financial arrangements though he combined professional work conducting a music shop and wine shop. Financial results proved disastrous despite his fame. He died at Margate aged 64 on the 9th of October 1826. The zestful anecdotes found in Reminiscences appear quoted in several articles within this encyclopedia. Nancy Storace receives mention for flamboyant virtuosity as teenager while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gets physical description details. Mozart and dance sections highlight Mozart as highly skilled dancer alongside Haydn descriptions. Francesco Benucci appears noting extraordinary effect of Mozart's Non piu andrai on performers during first rehearsals of The Marriage of Figaro. These accounts provide glimpses into 18th century musical life despite questions about accuracy.
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Common questions
When was Michael Kelly born and where did he grow up?
Michael Kelly was born on the 25th of December 1762 in Dublin. His father Thomas held a prominent social position as Master of Ceremonies at Dublin Castle.
Who were the early teachers who trained Michael Kelly before his career began?
His first teachers were Italians named Passerini and Niccolò Peretti. He also received keyboard instruction from Michael Arne and singing lessons from signor St Giorgio at the Rotunda.
What significant events occurred during Michael Kelly's time in Naples starting in May 1779?
In May 1779 Kelly traveled to Naples as a protégé of Sir William Hamilton. He enrolled with Fenaroli at the 1537 Conservatorio Santa Maria di Loreto and witnessed the August 1779 eruption of Vesuvius together with the King and Queen of Naples.
Which operas did Michael Kelly perform in Vienna between 1784 and 1787?
Kelly performed Stephen Storace's opera Gli sposi malcontenti in 1785 alongside Nancy Storace. He later took the buffo role of Gaforio in Paisiello's The Barber of Seville which became his nickname thereafter.
When was Michael Kelly's comic opera Pizarro premiered and where did it open?
Pizarro appeared the 24th of May 1799 also at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with libretto by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. This production followed Blue Beard or Female Curiosity which premiered the 16th of January 1798 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
How and when did Michael Kelly die after publishing his Reminiscences in 1826?
He died at Margate aged 64 on the 9th of October 1826. Financial results proved disastrous despite his fame as he combined professional work conducting a music shop and wine shop before his death.