Maritana is a three-act opera including both spoken dialogue and some recitatives, composed by William Vincent Wallace, with a libretto by Edward Fitzball (1792–1873). The opera is based on the 1844 French play Don César de Bazan by Adolphe d'Ennery and Philippe François Pinel (Dumanoir), which was also the source material for Jules Massenet's opéra comique Don César de Bazan. The opera premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 15 November 1845.
Sheet music cover to Maritana
Cigar box depicting a scene from Maritana
William Vincent Wallace was an Irish composer and pianist. In his day, he was famous on three continents as a double virtuoso on violin and piano. Nowadays, he is mainly remembered as an opera composer of note, with key works such as Maritana (1845) and Lurline (1847/60), but he also wrote a large amount of piano music that was much in vogue in the 19th century. His more modest output of songs and ballads, equally wide-ranging in style and difficulty, was also popular in his day, some numbers being associated with famous singers of the time.
William Vincent Wallace. Portrait by Mathew Brady, New York City, undated (Library of Congress)
Blue plaque in Waterford
A bust of Wallace by Seamus Murphy can be seen outside Waterford's Theatre Royal
Wallace's grave at Kensal Green Cemetery, London, in 2014; visible behind it is Balfe's grave
