in 1854 harriet smithson died and seven months later berlioz married marie recio, a singer he had known for 12 years. her spanish mother came to live with them, and she looked after berlioz very kindly in his last years when he was ill. berlioz’ son louis had become a captain in the navy and travelled all over the world. this was something berlioz had always dreamt of doing since his childhood when he used to read travel books. berlioz was terribly sad in 1867 when he heard that louis had died in havana of yellow fever.