COSTA

Sir Michael Andrew Agnus ( son of Cavaliere Pasquale Costa, who d. 1845 ). b. Naples 4 Feb. 1810; accompanist at San Carlo theatre, Naples 1828; sang at Birmingham musical festival, Oct. 1829; director of music at King’s theatre, London 1832–46; the first person in England to conduct with a baton instead of a violin bow 1832; naturalised in England 28 July 1845; director of music at Covent Garden 1846–66; conductor of the Philharmonic concerts 1846–54; conductor of Sacred harmonic society 22 Sep. 1848; directed triennial musical festivals at Birmingham 1849–79 and at Leeds 1874–80; directed Handel festivals at Crystal palace 1857–77; knighted at Windsor castle 14 April 1869; director of Her Majesty’s opera 1871–79; the first master of the art of conducting in England; composed oratorios of Eli and Naaman produced at Birmingham musical festivals 29 Aug. 1855 and 7 Sep. 1864, opera of Malek Adhel produced in Paris 1837 and in London 1838, and opera of Don Carlos produced at Her Majesty’s opera 1844; wrote many songs and other music. d. 13 Sea field, West Brighton 29 April 1884. bur. Kensal Green cemetery 6 May. Illust. Review i , 385–6 (1874), portrait ; Touchstone 15 Feb. 1879, p. 3, portrait ; Illust. news of the world iii , 385 (1859), portrait ; I.L.N. i , 124 (1842), portrait, iv , 404 (1844), portrait , xxx , 13 (1857), portrait , lxxxiv , 440 (1884), portrait .