Sir Michael Costa, a musical director and composer, born at the village of La Cerra, near Naples, in 1806. He received his professional education at the royal academy of music in Naples, and also under Tritto, a teacher of some reputation. Having produced two cantatas, L'lmmagine and II delitto punito, he became director of the orchestra in one of the minor Neapolitan theatres, and finally wrote for the San Carlo an opera entitled Malxina, which met with little success. In 1828 he went to England, where he has since then remained, devoted to operatic, orchestral, and oratorio music. In each of these departments of the art he has taken a conspicuous place. In 1831 he became conductor of Her Majesty's theatre, in 1846 of the philharmonic concerts, and in 1847 of the royal Italian opera, Covent Garden. He was also appointed presiding accompanist at the court concerts. In 1855 his oratorio "Eli" was produced at the Birmingham musical festival, adding greatly to the composer's reputation, which was further enhanced by the oratorio of "Naaman," brought out in 1864. Both of these oratorios have been performed in Boston and other cities of the United States. In April, 1869, Costa was made a knight by the queen at Windsor castle, and in May he received from the king of Wurtemberg the royal order of Frederick, as a mark of admiration for the manner in which the oratorio of "Eli" had been produced under his direction at Stuttgart. Besides those already mentioned, his principal works are the ballets "Kenihvorth," Une heure a Naples, and Sire Huon. The opera Malek Adel, produced in 1837 at the royal academy of Paris, and afterward in London, was an amended version of his early work, Malvina. Though Grisi, Lablache, Eubini, and Tamburini were in the cast, they were unable to save the opera from a reception like that which it met on its first production at Naples. Don Carlos, brought out in London in 1844, met with a somewhat better success, and is esteemed as his best opera.