Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Rosa, Carl

​ROSA, Carl, was born at Hamburgh, March 22, 1842. He began to learn the violin at an extremely early age, and when eight years old made his debut. Subsequently he was a pupil in the Conservatoire of Leipzig. From thence he proceeded to Paris, winning a prize at a competition of Conservatoire pupils. Returning to his native city, he was appointed conductor of the Philharmonic and gave a successful series of popular concerts of chamber music. Next he visited the United States, where he was engaged by the late Mr. Bateman, to conduct a concert tour. There Mr. Rosa married Madame Parepa, the leading singer of the company; and afterwards he undertook the production of opera on his own account. The extraordinary success which attended the English Opera season in America in 1871-72 led to the determination to make an essay in England. In 1872 Mr. Rosa and his wife, with a strong company, came to this country, and after a brilliant tour in the provinces, preparations were made for the production of "Lohengrin," with English text, at Drury Lane (1874), when the death of Madame Parepa-Rosa brought the enterprise to an abrupt termination. Mr. Rosa, however, subsequently resolved to resume the task, and on Sept. 11, 1875, inaugurated a seven weeks' most successful season of opera at the Princess's Theatre. After making another tour in the provinces, and in Ireland, he returned to London in the autumn of 1876, this time taking the Lyceum Theatre. He has since given series of operatic performances at the Adelphi, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and at the Drury Lane Theatre. In 1883 he was appointed a member of the council of the Royal College of Music. The great merit of Mr. Rosa, is, that he has given a great impetus to English native art. It ​is he who has created a growing appetite for the performances of operas in English, and who has, moreover, fostered the compositions of English musicians. The result of this is great activity among English composers who, stimulated by Mr. Rosa's efforts, are having a race in writing such works, and are repaid for their pains by finding a home for their musical inventions. Operas like Mr. Goring Thomas's "Esmeralda," and Mackenzie's "Colomba," are a credit to England, and have already met with merited success on the Continent.

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