Benjamin Lumley

As Lumley had become familiar with making managerial decisions for the theatre, when Laporte died in 1841 the board of the opera company, consisting mainly of wealthy noblemen, asked him to take over.

Furthermore, Lumley refused to let Costa to take up the task of chief conductor to the Royal Philharmonic Society, then the leading London symphonic orchestra.

In 1846 Costa decamped to Covent Garden with most of the orchestra and singers and the support of some leading London critics, to establish there the second Royal Italian Opera Company in competition with Lumley.

In 1847, despite legal threats from the Covent Garden management, he brought Jenny Lind over for her London debut, for which he had prepared with unprecedented levels of spin and publicity.

In particular, as the highlight of her first season in England, the great Swedish coloratura soprano Jenny Lind was engaged to create the role of Amalia, the opera's heroine.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert attended the first performance, together with the Duke of Wellington and every member of the British aristocracy and fashionable society able to gain admission.

Meanwhile Lumley had extended his interests by taking on additionally the management of the Théâtre des Italiens in Paris, and was soon negotiating with the actress Rachel and Victor Hugo.

He was tempted back when in 1856, the Covent Garden Theatre once again caught fire, and for three years he resumed the leadership of Italian opera in London.

Lumley returned to the law, and in his later years wrote two works of fantasy – Sirenia; or, Recollections of a Past Existence (1863) and Another World (1873)[4] – and a legal reference book.