Pierre Gaveaux (6 October 1760 – 5 February 1825) was a French operatictenor and composer, notable for creating the role of Jason in Cherubini's Médée and for composing Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal, the first operatic version of the story that later found fame as Fidelio.
Gaveaux was born in Béziers and sang in the cathedralchoir there from the age of seven. Although intending to enter the priesthood, he also took lessons in composition. He next became first tenor at the Basilica of Saint-Seurin in Bordeaux, studying with Franz Ignaz Beck, and subsequently decided to follow a career in music, becoming a conductor at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux as well as continuing to sing.
He subsequently performed with the company in operas such as Paisiello's L’Infante de Zamora (in 1789), and on 18 July 1791 he sang the role of Floresky in the première of Cherubini's Lodoïska. When the company moved to the Théâtre Feydeau, he was involved in a "folly in verse" called Le club des bonnes gens which was banned by the censor for being unpatriotic.
He was active during the revolutionary period, composing in 1792 a hymn to the Supreme Being. On 19 January 1795, his famous anti-Jacobin song[1]Le Réveil du peuple (The Awakening of the People), to words by Jean-Marie Souriguière de Saint-Marc, was first performed. Notwithstanding the banning of the song on 8 January 1796 by the Directoire, he continued his career in opera, appearing in François Devienne's Les visitandines, and creating the role of Jason in Cherubini's Médée on 13 March 1797.
Operasedit
Gaveaux's first opera, L'amour filial (1792), was a success in Paris and was performed throughout Europe: Brussels, Cologne and Rotterdam in 1795, Bern and Moscow in 1809, Berlin and Hamburg (in a German translation) in 1796.
His most famous opera, Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal, premièred in 1798, with Gaveaux himself in the role of Florestan and Julie-Angélique Scio as Léonore. It is best known today because the libretto (by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly) served as the basis for Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. It was revived by Opera Lafayette (Season 2016-2017).[2]
Other operas by Gaveaux that were popular in their day include Sophie et Moncars, Le bouffe et le tailleur and Monsieur Des Chalumeaux, and in 1808 he composed L'échelle de soie to a translation of the libretto which Giuseppe Maria Foppa had written for Rossini's La scala di seta.
Chronological list of operasedit
Polacca from Le Trompeur Trompé (1800)
From Le Trompeur Trompé. Montserrat Alvedra, soprano; William McColl, clarinet; Joseph Levine, fortepiano. Played on historical instruments.
Le diable en vacances ou La suite du diable couleur de rose, 1805
L'amour à Cythère, 1805
Monsieur Des Chalumeaux, 1806
L'échelle de soie, 1808
La rose blanche et la rose rouge, 1809
L'enfant prodigue, 1811
Pygmalion, 1816
Une nuit au bois ou Le muet de circonstance, 1818
Later lifeedit
Gaveaux continued to sing until 1812, although after the company of the Théâtre Feydeau merged with that of the Théâtre Favart in 1801, his voice was in decline and he only performed secondary roles. In 1819 he entered the asylum at Charenton on the outskirts of Paris, where he died. His wife, Émilie Gavaudan (also a singer), died in 1840.
Referencesedit
^Robinson, Paul (1996). Cambridge Opera Handbooks: Fidelio. Cambridge University Press. p. 63. ISBN0-521-45221-X.
Fétis, François-Joseph (1862). Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique, 2nd edition, vol. 3, pp. 428–429. Paris: Didot. View at Google Books.
Letailleur, Paulette (1992). "Gaveaux [Gavaux, Gaveau], Pierre" in Sadie 1992, vol. 2, pp. 362–363.
pierre, gaveaux, october, 1760, february, 1825, french, operatic, tenor, composer, notable, creating, role, jason, cherubini, médée, composing, léonore, amour, conjugal, first, operatic, version, story, that, later, found, fame, fidelio, portrait, edmé, quened. Pierre Gaveaux 6 October 1760 5 February 1825 was a French operatic tenor and composer notable for creating the role of Jason in Cherubini s Medee and for composing Leonore ou L amour conjugal the first operatic version of the story that later found fame as Fidelio Pierre GaveauxPortrait by Edme Quenedey after a physionotrace 1821 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career as a singer 3 Operas 3 1 Chronological list of operas 4 Later life 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editGaveaux was born in Beziers and sang in the cathedral choir there from the age of seven Although intending to enter the priesthood he also took lessons in composition He next became first tenor at the Basilica of Saint Seurin in Bordeaux studying with Franz Ignaz Beck and subsequently decided to follow a career in music becoming a conductor at the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux as well as continuing to sing Career as a singer editAfter a period in Montpellier he moved to Paris where on 26 January 1789 he took part in a performance of Giacomo Tritto s Le Avventure Amorose which marked the inauguration of the Theatre de Monsieur company in the Salle des Machines at the Tuileries Palace He subsequently performed with the company in operas such as Paisiello s L Infante de Zamora in 1789 and on 18 July 1791 he sang the role of Floresky in the premiere of Cherubini s Lodoiska When the company moved to the Theatre Feydeau he was involved in a folly in verse called Le club des bonnes gens which was banned by the censor for being unpatriotic He was active during the revolutionary period composing in 1792 a hymn to the Supreme Being On 19 January 1795 his famous anti Jacobin song 1 Le Reveil du peuple The Awakening of the People to words by Jean Marie Souriguiere de Saint Marc was first performed Notwithstanding the banning of the song on 8 January 1796 by the Directoire he continued his career in opera appearing in Francois Devienne s Les visitandines and creating the role of Jason in Cherubini s Medee on 13 March 1797 Operas editGaveaux s first opera L amour filial 1792 was a success in Paris and was performed throughout Europe Brussels Cologne and Rotterdam in 1795 Bern and Moscow in 1809 Berlin and Hamburg in a German translation in 1796 His most famous opera Leonore ou L amour conjugal premiered in 1798 with Gaveaux himself in the role of Florestan and Julie Angelique Scio as Leonore It is best known today because the libretto by Jean Nicolas Bouilly served as the basis for Beethoven s only opera Fidelio It was revived by Opera Lafayette Season 2016 2017 2 Other operas by Gaveaux that were popular in their day include Sophie et Moncars Le bouffe et le tailleur and Monsieur Des Chalumeaux and in 1808 he composed L echelle de soie to a translation of the libretto which Giuseppe Maria Foppa had written for Rossini s La scala di seta Chronological list of operas edit nbsp Polacca from Le Trompeur Trompe 1800 source source From Le Trompeur Trompe Montserrat Alvedra soprano William McColl clarinet Joseph Levine fortepiano Played on historical instruments Problems playing this file See media help L amour filial 1792 Le paria ou La chaumiere indienne 1792 Les deux ermites 1793 La partie carree 1793 La famille indigente 1794 Sophronime ou La reconnaissance 1795 Delmon et Nadine 1795 La gasconnade 1795 Le petit matelot ou Le mariage impromptu 1796 Lise et Colin ou La surveillance inutile 1796 Tout par hasard 1796 Celiane 1796 Le mannequin vivant ou Le mari de bois 1796 Le traite nul 1797 Sophie et Moncars ou L intrigue portugaise 1797 Leonore ou L amour conjugal 1798 Le diable couleur de rose ou Le bonhomme misere 1798 Les noms supposes ou Les deux jockeys 1798 Le locataire 1800 Le trompeur trompe 1800 Ovinska ou Les exiles de Siberie 1801 Le retour inattendu 1802 Un quart d heure de silence 1804 Le bouffe et le tailleur 1804 Avis aux femmes ou Le mari colere 1804 Trop tot ou Le projet manque 1804 Le mariage inattendu 1804 Le diable en vacances ou La suite du diable couleur de rose 1805 L amour a Cythere 1805 Monsieur Des Chalumeaux 1806 L echelle de soie 1808 La rose blanche et la rose rouge 1809 L enfant prodigue 1811 Pygmalion 1816 Une nuit au bois ou Le muet de circonstance 1818Later life editGaveaux continued to sing until 1812 although after the company of the Theatre Feydeau merged with that of the Theatre Favart in 1801 his voice was in decline and he only performed secondary roles In 1819 he entered the asylum at Charenton on the outskirts of Paris where he died His wife Emilie Gavaudan also a singer died in 1840 References edit Robinson Paul 1996 Cambridge Opera Handbooks Fidelio Cambridge University Press p 63 ISBN 0 521 45221 X A DVD was made of the performance https operalafayette org gaveaux Fetis Francois Joseph 1862 Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie generale de la musique 2nd edition vol 3 pp 428 429 Paris Didot View at Google Books Letailleur Paulette 1992 Gaveaux Gavaux Gaveau Pierre in Sadie 1992 vol 2 pp 362 363 Sadie Stanley editor 1992 The New Grove Dictionary of Opera 4 volumes London Macmillan ISBN 978 1 56159 228 9 External links editFree scores by Pierre Gaveaux at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pierre Gaveaux amp oldid 1218352844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
