Louis Pécour (also spelled Pecoor, Pecour, Pécourt; 10 August 1653 – 12 April 1729) was a French dancer and choreographer.[1] He is most well known for his work with the Académie Royale de Musique (the name of the Paris Opera at the time).
Louis Pécour
Biographyedit
Born Guillaume-Louis Pecour in Paris, he was the son of Jacques Pecour, a royal courier, and Marie Voisin (or Raisin), who lived in the rue des Petits-Champs.[2]
According to the Parfaict brothers in their history of the Paris Opera, "he was handsome, well-built, and danced with the noblest air possible."[2] A letter about the Ballet des Saisons (26 October 1695) claims that "the first and second boxes were redoubled, one could have perished in the pit, and people were on each other's laps in the Paradis, all because of Pécour, who danced a Spanish sarabande.... [H]e dances like a master."[2]
After the death of the Opera's director Lully in 1687, the company's ballet master Pierre Beauchamps retired, and Pécour succeeded him, creating choreography for ballets at the Opera, as well as for the royal court. He mostly retired as a dancer around 1704 and received a pension in 1705, but his name appears on programs as a dancer in 1709 and 1710, and he continued to choreograph ballets at the Opera until his death in 1729.[6] He mostly created ballets in operas, including ones by Pascal Collasse, Henri Desmarets, and Toussaint Bertin de la Doué and choreographed André Campra's first opéra-ballet L'Europe galante in 1697, as well as his Le carnaval de Venise (1699), Hésione (1700), Tancrède (1702), and Les fêtes vénitiennes (1710).[4]
Over 100 of Pécour's ballets have been preserved in Feuillet notation, and they were danced at other royal courts, helping to spread the French style of dancing all over Europe. He was probably the first dance choreographer to have such wide influence.[7]
Astier, Régine (1998). "Pecour, Guillaume-Louis" in Cohen 1998, vol. 5. pp. 128–129.
Christout, Marie-Françoise (1998). "Paris Opera Ballet" in Cohen 1998, vol. 5, pp. 86–100.
Cohen, Selma Jeanne, editor (1998). International Encyclopedia of Dance (6 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-509462-6 (hardcover). ISBN978-0-19-517369-7 (2004 paperback edition).
Craine, Debra; Mackrell, Judith (2000). The Oxford Dictionary of Dance. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-860106-7.
Guest, Ivor (2006). The Paris Opéra Ballet. Alton, Hampshire: Dance Books. ISBN978-1-85273-109-0.
La Gorce, Jérôme de (1990). "Guillaume-Louis Pecour: A Biographical Essay", translated by Margaret M. McGowan. Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research, vol. 8, no. 2 (Autumn), pp. 3–26. JSTOR 1290566.
Pitou, Spire (1983). The Paris Opéra: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers. Genesis and Glory, 1671–1715. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN9780313214202.
Psyché libretto (1671). Psiché, tragicomédie et ballet dansé devant Sa Majesté au mois de Janvier 1671. Paris: Robert Ballard. Copy at Gallica.
April 06, 2024
louis, guillaume, pécour, louis, pécour, also, spelled, pecoor, pecour, pécourt, august, 1653, april, 1729, french, dancer, choreographer, most, well, known, work, with, académie, royale, musique, name, paris, opera, time, louis, pécourbiography, editborn, gui. Louis Pecour also spelled Pecoor Pecour Pecourt 10 August 1653 12 April 1729 was a French dancer and choreographer 1 He is most well known for his work with the Academie Royale de Musique the name of the Paris Opera at the time Louis PecourBiography editBorn Guillaume Louis Pecour in Paris he was the son of Jacques Pecour a royal courier and Marie Voisin or Raisin who lived in the rue des Petits Champs 2 He studied dance with Pierre Beauchamps and likely made his debut in January 1671 as one of eight Zephyrs in the third intermezzo of Psyche at the theatre of the royal court in the Tuileries Palace 3 4 He first danced at the Paris Opera in 1674 in Jean Baptiste Lully s Cadmus et Hermione Pecour performed as a principal dancer both at the Opera s Theatre du Palais Royal in Paris and for the royal court at the Chateau de Saint Germain en Laye and Chateau de Chantilly and created many dance parts in works by Lully including the ballet Le triomphe de l amour 1681 the opera Persee 1682 as premier danseur opposite Mlle Lafontaine the opera Amadis 1684 the ballet Le temple de la paix 1685 and the opera Armide 1686 4 5 According to the Parfaict brothers in their history of the Paris Opera he was handsome well built and danced with the noblest air possible 2 A letter about the Ballet des Saisons 26 October 1695 claims that the first and second boxes were redoubled one could have perished in the pit and people were on each other s laps in the Paradis all because of Pecour who danced a Spanish sarabande H e dances like a master 2 After the death of the Opera s director Lully in 1687 the company s ballet master Pierre Beauchamps retired and Pecour succeeded him creating choreography for ballets at the Opera as well as for the royal court He mostly retired as a dancer around 1704 and received a pension in 1705 but his name appears on programs as a dancer in 1709 and 1710 and he continued to choreograph ballets at the Opera until his death in 1729 6 He mostly created ballets in operas including ones by Pascal Collasse Henri Desmarets and Toussaint Bertin de la Doue and choreographed Andre Campra s first opera ballet L Europe galante in 1697 as well as his Le carnaval de Venise 1699 Hesione 1700 Tancrede 1702 and Les fetes venitiennes 1710 4 Over 100 of Pecour s ballets have been preserved in Feuillet notation and they were danced at other royal courts helping to spread the French style of dancing all over Europe He was probably the first dance choreographer to have such wide influence 7 Pecour was listed as a member of the Academie Royale de Danse in 1695 when Beauchamps was its director and in 1719 when Claude Ballon was director 2 Pecour died in Paris and was buried in the church of Saint Roche 2 References editNotes Craine amp Mackrell 2000 p 365 Astier 1998 p 128 a b c d e Astier 1998 p 128 Psyche libretto 1671 p 20 La Gorce 1990 p 4 a b c Craine amp Mackrell 2000 p 365 Pitou 1983 p 285 Astier 1998 Christout 1998 p 87 Astier 1998 p 129 Guest 2006 p 11 SourcesAstier Regine 1998 Pecour Guillaume Louis in Cohen 1998 vol 5 pp 128 129 Christout Marie Francoise 1998 Paris Opera Ballet in Cohen 1998 vol 5 pp 86 100 Cohen Selma Jeanne editor 1998 International Encyclopedia of Dance 6 volumes Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 509462 6 hardcover ISBN 978 0 19 517369 7 2004 paperback edition Craine Debra Mackrell Judith 2000 The Oxford Dictionary of Dance Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 860106 7 Guest Ivor 2006 The Paris Opera Ballet Alton Hampshire Dance Books ISBN 978 1 85273 109 0 La Gorce Jerome de 1990 Guillaume Louis Pecour A Biographical Essay translated by Margaret M McGowan Dance Research The Journal of the Society for Dance Research vol 8 no 2 Autumn pp 3 26 JSTOR 1290566 Pitou Spire 1983 The Paris Opera An Encyclopedia of Operas Ballets Composers and Performers Genesis and Glory 1671 1715 Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press ISBN 9780313214202 Psyche libretto 1671 Psiche tragicomedie et ballet danse devant Sa Majeste au mois de Janvier 1671 Paris Robert Ballard Copy at Gallica Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Louis Guillaume Pecour amp oldid 1189790263, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
