In 1809 Spontini married the niece of Erard, the great pianoforte-maker, and was called to the direction of the Italian opera; but he retained this position only two years, from the disagreeable conditions he had to contend with, and the cabals that were formed against him.  The year 1814 witnessed the production of “Pelage,” and two years later “Les Dieux Rivaux” was composed, in conjunction with Persuis, Berton, and Kreutzer; but neither work attracted much attention.  The opera of “Olympic,” worked out on the plan of “La Vestale” and “Cortez,” was produced in 1819.  Spontini was embittered by its poor success, for he had built many hopes on it, and wrought long and patiently.  That he was not in his best vein, and like many other men of genius was not always able to estimate justly his own work, is undeniable; for Spontini, contrary to the opinion of his contemporaries and of posterity, regarded this as his best opera.  His acceptance of the Prussian King’s offer to become musical director at Berlin was the result of his chagrin.  Here he remained for twenty years.  “Olympic” succeeded better at Berlin, though the boisterousness of the music seems to have called out some sharp strictures even among the Berlinese, whose penchant for noisy operatic effects was then as now a butt for the satire of the musical wits.  Apropos of the long run of “Olympic” at Berlin, an amusing anecdote is told on the authority of Castel-Blaze.  A wealthy amateur had become deaf, and suffered much from his deprivation of the enjoyment of his favorite art.  After trying many physicians, he was treated in a novel fashion by his latest doctor.  “Come with me to the opera this evening,” wrote down the doctor.  “What’s the use?  I can’t hear a note,” was the impatient rejoinder.  “Never mind,” said the other; “come, and you will see something at all events.”  So the twain repaired to the theatre to hear Spontini’s “Olympie.”  All went well till one of the overwhelming finales, which happened to be played that evening more fortissimo than usual.  The patient turned around beaming with delight, exclaiming, “Doctor, I can hear.”  As there was no reply, the happy patient again said, “Doctor, I tell you, you have cured me.”  A blank stare alone met him, and he found that the doctor was as deaf as a post, having fallen a victim to his own prescription.  The German wits had a similar joke afterward at Halevy’s expense.  The “Punch” of Vienna said that Halevy made the brass play so loudly that the French horn was actually blown quite straight.

Among the works produced at Berlin were “Nurmahal,” in 1825; “Alcidor,” the same year; and in 1829, “Agnes von Hohenstaufen.”  Various other new works were given from time to time, but none achieved more than a brief hearing.  Spontini’s stiff-necked and arrogant will kept him in continual trouble, and the Berlin press aimed its arrows at him with incessant virulence:  a war which the composer fed by his bitter and witty