Cesare Bossi's Irza (1804)

Irza is an unusual forename, but she was the writer Lionel Britton's mother, and until now there's never been any indication of where the name came from. However, Robert Hughes has discovered this ballet: Irza by C. Bossi. Cesare Bossi, or Bosi, was born in Italy, perhaps in 1760, and died in a London prison (probably for debt) perhaps in 1802, or 1807. Not too many things about him are certain, although he wrote ballet music, was popular in England, and it was probably after this particular ballet that Marie Antoinette named her daughter Irza.