The Irish standard., 1907-12-07


pended as a nom de plume to this song
by reason Of the fact that the actor
manager-poet was then paying his ad-
dresses to a widow named Forester.
His more usual pen-name was Ed
mund Falconer'-on which account
many biographers have been led into
the error of assuming it as his real
patronymic; indeed, ". A. Barrett,
Balfe's biographer, styles the author as:
Edward Falconer, dramatic writer
of some power
In 1859, O'Rourke who had just fin
ished versified extravaganza called
"Christabelle, or the Rose Without
Thorn,'' wrote an opera. composed by
Alfred Mellon, and produced success
fully at Covent Garden. under Melons
baton. One of the sings, II Never
Can Forget" is still very popular. Be-
tween the years 1855 and 1864 O'Rourke
wrote many comedies, farces and melo-
dramas. of which the Peep O. Day"
still holds the boards. Most of his
plays were produced at the Lyceum
Theatre, the management of which he
relinquished in 1852, and he joined his
compatriot, Dion Boucicault, in 1863,
at the Adelphi Theatre 1t is not gen.
orally known that the colleen Bawn"
was first produced in Dublin on April
easter Monday), 1861, with Mr. and
Mrs. Dion Boucicault, and was played
to crowded houses for twenty four
nights. Boucicault was not at all sat-
isfed with the piece, and he completely
revised it, producing it at the Adelphi
Theatre, London, at the close Of the
year 1868.
On August 29 1853, Killarney was
first heard in Dublin in oRourke's
Peep O. Day. and was Immediately
taken UP. The piece was preceded by
Telbin's panorama of the Lakes of Kill
larney, and it ran successfully until
September 90. In the revised version
of the Colleen Bawn," which Bouci-
cault gave in London, Edmund
O'Rourke was the original Danny Man,
and created quite a furore by his mag
nificent acting. This version was heard
in Dublin, on March 20, 1864, and con-
tinued to draw full houses till April
2S. The Peep O. Day" was revived,
with a new cast, on August 27 Of the
same year, and was well received.
O'Rourke wrote some other trifes in
the years 1S64-6S. and he died in Lon
don on September 20. 1879, being in
TERED in Kensal Green Cemetery.
Considerations of space prevent ME
from dealing at any length with the
career Of Balfe, the composer of "Kil-
larney." However, I shall summarize
his chief operatic works. leaving till
another time a full account of the life
story of one of the most distinguished
that Ireland can boast of.
Michael William Balfe was born at
No. l Pitt street, Dublin, on May Is,
1903, but his early years were spent in !
Wexford, where he showed marvellous
musical powers. From 1916 to 1919 he |
was a pupil in Dublin, Of William
O'Rourke and James Barton, and he
played on the violin at Barton's benefit !
in June, 1917, and again in June, 1919. /
In 1923 Horne took him as an appren-
tice, and he played for some time at
Drury Lane. Continuing his studies
on the Continent, he produced several |
operas at Palermo. Pavia and Milan,
and, in 1888 he returned to London,
where, in 1885, he electrified the mus-
cal world with THE Siege of Rochelle"
by the Maid of Artos" (1s36),
'Kevlanthe" (1s4D, and the Bohemian
Girl" GS43).
Even to give list of Balfe's operas
would be too long, and it is only nee
assary to say that his genius was rec
ognized not alone in Great Britain and
but also in France, Germany
italy and Russia. The Bohemian Girl"
was translated into French, Italian and
German, and Balfe was decorated with
the Legion of Honor. He died October
20, 1870, and was buried at Kensal
Green, where also sleeps Edmund
o'Rourke 1t is surely in the fitness of
things that both the author and the
composer of Killarney" should rest in
The same burying ground. Yet, while
Balfe has had two exhaustive biog-
'aphies devoted to him, there is as yet
no memoir of O'Rourke, and, therefore
he present sketch may prove Of serv-
ce to the future biographer Of him
who sang so sweetly of "Kilarneys
axes and fells."