Mirecki, Franz (actually, Franciszek Wincenty)

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Mirecki, Franz (actually, Franciszek Wincenty)

Mirecki, Franz (actually, Franciszek Wincenty), Polish composer, pianist, and singing teacher; b. Kraków (baptized), March 31, 1791; d. there, May 29, 1862. He first studied with his father, making his debut as a pianist at the age of 9, and later was a student of Hummel in Vienna (1814) and of Cherubini in Paris (1817). He was active as a singing teacher, conductor, and composer in Milan (1822–38) and Genoa (1826–38), and also conducted an Italian opera company on a tour of Portugal, England, and France (1825–26). He returned to Kraków in 1838, running his own school until 1841; also served as director of the local Opera (1844–47). Among his works were the operas Cyganie (The Gypsies; Warsaw, May 23, 1822), Evandro in pergamo (Genoa, Dec. 26, 1824), I due forzati (Lisbon, March 7, 1826), Cornelio Bentivoglio (Milan, March 18, 1844), and Nocleg w Apeninach (A Night in the Apennines; Kraków, April 11, 1845). He also composed piano pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire