Mary Anne Virginia Gabriel (b. 7 February 1825, d. 7 August 1877) was an Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 composer. She was also known as Mrs. George E. March.

Life

Virginia Gabriel was born in Banstead

Banstead

Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in the county of Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London. It lies south of London, west of Croydon and of the county town of Kingston-Upon-Thames. Banstead is on the North Downs and is protected by the Metropolitan Green Belt;...

, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, into an Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 military family. She studied piano with Johann Peter Pixis

Johann Peter Pixis

Johann Peter Pixis was a German pianist and composer born in Mannheim, Germany.He lived in Paris between 1825 and 1845, where he worked as a concert pianist...

, Theodor Dohler

Theodor Döhler

Theodor Döhler was a German composer and a notable piano virtuoso of the Romantic period. He studied under Julius Benedict, Carl Czerny, and Simon Sechter. -Childhood and education:...

, Sigismond Thalberg

Sigismond Thalberg

Sigismond Thalberg was a composer and one of the most distinguished virtuoso pianists of the 19th century.- Descent and family background :...

 and Bernhard Molique and composition with opera composer Saverio Mercadante

Saverio Mercadante

Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...

. She married her librettist George March in 1874, and the Times reported that she died from "injuries sustained by a fall from a carriage".

Works

Gabriel was known for cantatas and opera and she also wrote songs. Selected works include:

• Evangeline (1873) cantata
• Graziella (1870) cantata
• Dreamland (1870) cantata
• Widows Bewitched (1865) opera
• A Quiet Chateau (1867) opera
• Who's The Heir? (1868) opera
• Lost and Found (1870) opera
• Grass Widows, opera
• The Shepherd of Cournouailles, opera
• The Follies of a Night, opera
• A Rainy Day, opera
• The Lion's Mouth, opera bouffe
• Change upon change (Text: Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
• Du bist wie eine Blume, op. 1, no. 3 (Text: Heinrich Heine)
• Oh, wilt thou have my hand, Dear (Text: Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
• Orpheus With His Lute (Text:John Fletcher)