Bochsa, Robert Nicolas Charles (1789–1856)

French harpist, conductor, and composer. He began as a composer of opera, oratorio, and ballet in Lyon and Bordeaux, and entered the Paris Conservatory in 1806. He acquired a good repuation as a harpist and opera composer, but fled to England in 1817 when exposed as a forger. Although condemned, he was able to live in London, where he made the harp extremely popular and became professor of the instrument at the Royal Academy of Music, but in 1827 had to leave owing to scandals, including bigamy. In 1839 he ran away with Henry Bishop's wife, the singer Anna Riviere. They went on a world tour together, during which he died.

Works Stage opera Trajan (Lyon, 1805) and eight others; a ballet.

Oratorio Le Déluge universel (1806; first performed Covent Garden, London, 22 February 1822).

Requiem Requiem for Louis XVI, which contains anticipations of Berlioz's Symphonie funèbre et triomphale).

Other many pieces for harp.