Introduction

Biography

Costa learned the ru­di­ments of mu­sic from his ma­ter­nal grand­fa­ther, Gia­co­mo Trit­to.

He was placed at the Re­al Col­le­gio di Mu­si­ca in Na­ples, and af­ter a pub­lic ex­am re­ceived a schol­ar­ship from Fer­di­nand I, King of the Two Si­ci­lies.

He com­posed his first can­ta­ta at age 15, and went on to write sym­pho­nies, ora­to­ri­os, op­eras, and quar­tets. He ev­en­tu­al­ly moved to Lon­don, where he was knight­ed in 1869.

In 1871, he be­came di­rect­or of the mu­sic, com­pos­er, and con­duc­tor at Her Ma­jes­ty’s op­era.