Giacomo Meyerbeer

1791 (Vogelsdorf, Germany) – 1864 (Paris)

Meyerbeer studied under Clementi and Salieri, and was a fellow-student of Weber under Vogler. Heine was his cousin (whom Meyerbeer helped support), and the Beers his brothers. He was a generous supporter of Berlioz, despite Berlioz’s published critiques of his music. He met Humboldt frequently, in Paris and Berlin, corresponded with Gautier, and his extemporised piano-duets with Moscheles were renowned. Though Meyerbeer supported him early in his career, Wagner turned against him with anti-semitic spite.