Michael William Balfe, whose actual surname was Balph (born May 15, 1808, in Dublin; died October 20, 1870, in Ware, Hertfordshire), was an Irish composer, violinist, opera singer (baritone), and conductor.
Balfe was born at 10 Pitt Street in Dublin, the son of dance instructor William Balfe (1783–1823) and Catherine (Ryan) Balfe, a niece of composer, librettist, and spy Leonard McNally (1752–1820). He took violin lessons at a young age from James Barton and the composer William Rooke (1794–1847). In 1817, at the age of nine, he made his first public appearance as a violinist.
More: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_William_Balfe
