François-Adrien Boieldieu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
François-Adrien Boieldieu
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Portrait by Henri-François Riesener
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François-Adrien Boildieu
16 December 1775 Rouen, France
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| Died | 8 October 1834 (aged 58) Varennes-Jarcy, France
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François-Adrien Boieldieu (December 16, 1775 – October 8, 1834) was a famous French composer. He was mostly known for writing operas. An opera is like a play where the story is told mostly through singing. People sometimes called him "the French Mozart" because of his great musical talent.
Boieldieu's Musical Journey
François-Adrien Boieldieu was born in Rouen, France. He began his music education at the local cathedral. He learned from the choirmaster and the organist there. Even during a difficult time in France called the Reign of Terror, Rouen kept a lively music scene. In 1793, concerts were held with famous musicians like violinist Pierre Rode.
During this time, Boieldieu wrote his first musical works. His father wrote the words for these early pieces. They were called La fille coupable (1793) and Rosalie et Mirza (1795). These early works were very successful and made him known.
Boieldieu later moved to Paris during the French Revolution. He started working as a piano tuner. This was a smart move for him. At that time, the Opéra-Comique was a popular theater. It offered a special kind of opera that included spoken parts. This was different from classic opera, which was all singing.
In 1797, Boieldieu wrote two operas for the Théâtre Feydeau. They were La famille suisse and L'heureuse nouvelle. In 1798, he wrote Zoraime et Zulmare for the Favart theater. This opera was a huge success for him.
Boieldieu was known for his beautiful melodies. His music was light and elegant. The famous composer Hector Berlioz said Boieldieu's music had "a pleasing and tasteful Parisian elegance." In 1800, Boieldieu had a big triumph with his opera Le calife de Bagdad (The Caliph of Baghdad).
In 1804, after some personal difficulties, Boieldieu moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia. He became the court composer for the tsar, who was the ruler of Russia. He stayed there until 1810. During his time in Russia, he wrote nine operas. These included Aline, reine de Golconde (1804) and Les voitures versées (1808).
When he returned to France, he quickly won back the hearts of Parisian audiences. He wrote many more successful operas. Some of these were La jeune femme en colère (1811) and Jean de Paris (1812).
Boieldieu's Masterpiece and Later Life
In 1825, Boieldieu created his most famous work, La dame blanche (The White Lady). This opera was special because it was based on stories by the famous writer Walter Scott. The story is about a child who was lost but is found again at a dangerous moment. This opera was one of the first to bring fantasy elements into opera. It also influenced other famous operas like Lucia di Lammermoor.
Even though he is best known for his operas, Boieldieu also wrote other types of music. He composed a Harp Concerto in C around 1800–1801. This piece is still considered a masterpiece for the harp.
Boieldieu became a professor of piano in 1798. Later, in 1820, he became a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1817, he became one of the forty members of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, a very important arts academy. He also received the Légion d'honneur in 1820, which is a high award in France.
Sadly, Boieldieu gradually lost his ability to speak due to illness. He also faced financial troubles and political changes in France. To help him, a government official named Adolphe Thiers gave him a state pension. On September 25, 1834, Boieldieu made his last public appearance. He attended the first performance of an opera by his talented student, Adolphe Adam. This was a way for him to pass on his musical legacy.
Boieldieu died in Varennes-Jarcy. His heart was buried in Rouen, his hometown. His body was buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. He had a son, Adrien Louis Victor, who also became a composer.
See also
- List of compositions by François-Adrien Boieldieu
- List of operas by François-Adrien Boieldieu
- List of compositions for harp
- Classic 100 Music of France (ABC)
