WALLACE, WILLIAM VINCENT (1812-65) was born at Waterford, Ireland, the son of William Wallace, bandmaster to the 29th Regiment. At the age of eight he showed aptitude for music and, with the encouragement of his colonel, his father taught him the clarinet and the piano. At the age of 15 Wallace became second violinist at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, under Barton (the teacher of Balfe), and in 1830 he was appointed organist at Thurles cathedral. There he composed a mass O Salutaris which he used later in his opera Maritana. He married Isabella Kelly, of Blackrock, became a Catholic and assumed the name of Vincent. He was now composing freely. In 1835 he visited Australia, but having quarreled with his wife he went into the back country and was employed on sheep stations. He gave very successful concerts in Sydney, travelled widely in New Zealand and on the whaling grounds (1837-41) and in South America and the United States. His musical triumphs continued and when he got to London he planned an opera for which Edward Fitzball gave him the libretto. Maritana was first produced at Drury Lane on 15 Nov 1845 and was an immediate success. Thereafter Wallace composed much music of high standard, including fantasias, romances and songs and several operas, notably Matilda of Hungary and Lurline (which, after many vicissitudes, was produced at Covent Garden in 1860). He died on 12 Oct 1865. There seems to be no warrant for the statement frequently made that Wallace composed portion of Maritana while in New Zealand.

W. H. Grattan Flood, William Vincent Wallace, a Memoir (1912); Arthur Pougin, W. Vincent Wallace, étude biographique et critique (1866); J. F. Hogan, The Irish in Australia (1888); Cox; Ward; Otago Witness, 6 Jan 1866; Mennell; A Century of Journalism, p. 576; N.Z. Herald, 13 Feb 1875.

Reference: Volume 2, page 230

🌳 Further sources