# Cesare Bossi

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.

## Career

Bossi was born in Ferrara in 1773.
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. 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." 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 "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
| Title | Date of first performance | Choreographer | Remarks |
| Acis and Galatea | 10 June 1797 | Charles Didelot | |
| Alonzo the Brave and the Fair Imogene | 26 March 1801 | Charles Didelot | co-composed with Vincenzo Federici |
| L’amant statue | 21 April 1796 | Giacomo Onorati | |
| L’amour vangé | 2 June 1796 | Charles Didelot | |
| Apollon berger | 27 December 1796 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Bacchus and Ariadne | 28 November 1797 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Barader | 29 May 1800 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| La chasse d'amour | 2 January 1798 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Cinderella or The glass slipper | 1803? | |
| Constante et Alcidonis | 1798 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Les délassements militaires | 16 January 1797 | Sébastian Gallet | co-composed with Joseph Mazzinghi |
| The deserter | 12 February 1799 | Sébastian Gallet | based on Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny's music for Le déserteur |
| Les deux jumelles | 1799 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Flore et Zephire | 7 July 1796 | Charles Didelot | |
| Heliska ou La fille soldat | 16 June 1801 | Charles Didelot | |
| L’heureux retour | 28 March 1797 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Hylas et Témire | 1799 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Irza | 2 February 1802 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Les jeux d’Eglé | 11 January 1800 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Jugement de Midas | 20 February 1802 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Ken-Si and Tao | 14 May 1801 | Charles Didelot | |
| Laura et Lenza | 8 May 1800 | Charles Didelot | |
| Little Peggy's love | 21 April 1796 | Charles Didelot | |
| Le marchand de Smyrne | 1799? | Monsieur Barré | |
| L’offrande a Terpsichore | 28 November 1797 | Sébastian Gallet | |
| Pigmalion | 3 January 1801 | James Harvey D'Egville | |
| Télémaque | 26 March 1799 | James Harvey D'Egville | co-composed with James Harvey D'Egville |
| Le triomphe de Thémis | 1798 | Sébastian Gallet | |
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