What did Carl Maria von Weber blue plaque do at 103 Great Portland Street?

The Story

This unassuming building on Great Portland Street marks the final chapter in the life of German composer Carl Maria von Weber, who came to London in 1826 to conduct the premiere of his opera "Oberon" at Covent Garden. Though already gravely ill with tuberculosis when he arrived, Weber pushed himself to fulfill his conducting duties, making his last public appearance on May 29th before retiring to this house, where he died in the early hours of June 5th, 1826. The composer's final days in this Georgian townhouse were spent in the company of his friend Sir George Smart, who had arranged the lodgings, making this address not just the site of Weber's death but also a poignant symbol of the dedication that drove him to complete his last great work despite failing health.