Jean-Nicolas de Francine
Encyclopedia
Jean-Nicolas de Francine (1662–1735) was a director of the Opéra national de Paris.
, Jean-Nicolas married Jean-Baptiste Lully
's eldest daughter Catherine-Madeleine Lully on 18 April 1684, in the presence of Louis XIV. On Lully's death, Francine won the privilege of directing the opera. The first work put on under his leadership was Achille et Polyxène
. He also authorised the opening of opera houses in France's provincial cities - Lyon
, Lille
, Bordeaux
, Rouen
.
Not himself a composer, he commissioned others to renew the operatic repertoire, putting on works by Louis Lully
, Pascal Collasse
, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre
and Marc-Antoine Charpentier
. He was poor at management, however, and was forced to go into debt to keep the institution afloat, finally leading to the selling of his privilege in 1704 in favour of Pierre Guyenet. He returned to the post in 1715 following calls from Guyenet's creditors, after had Guyenet also proved unable to redress the problems. However, despite the king's support, the opera house was still not in profit when he ceded his place to André Cardinal Destouches
in 1728.
Life
From the Francini family of Florentine musicians that had come to France under Henry IV of FranceHenry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, Jean-Nicolas married Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
's eldest daughter Catherine-Madeleine Lully on 18 April 1684, in the presence of Louis XIV. On Lully's death, Francine won the privilege of directing the opera. The first work put on under his leadership was Achille et Polyxène
Achille et Polyxène
Achille et Polyxène is a tragédie lyrique containing a prologue and five acts based on Virgil's Aeneid with a French libretto by Jean Galbert de Campistron. The opera's overture and first act were composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, who died from a conducting injury before he could complete the score...
. He also authorised the opening of opera houses in France's provincial cities - Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
.
Not himself a composer, he commissioned others to renew the operatic repertoire, putting on works by Louis Lully
Louis Lully
Louis Lully was a French musician and the eldest son of Jean-Baptiste Lully.Nearly disinherited by his father following dissolute behaviour and imprisonment, Louis did not have the brilliant career anticipated for him, not only because of his behaviour but also for lack of talent...
, Pascal Collasse
Pascal Collasse
Pascal Collasse was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Rheims, Collasse became a disciple of Jean-Baptiste Lully during the latter's domination of the French operatic stage...
, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre was a French musician, harpsichordist and composer.-Life and works:...
and Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, , was a French composer of the Baroque era.Exceptionally prolific and versatile, he produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres...
. He was poor at management, however, and was forced to go into debt to keep the institution afloat, finally leading to the selling of his privilege in 1704 in favour of Pierre Guyenet. He returned to the post in 1715 following calls from Guyenet's creditors, after had Guyenet also proved unable to redress the problems. However, despite the king's support, the opera house was still not in profit when he ceded his place to André Cardinal Destouches
André Cardinal Destouches
André Cardinal Destouches was a French composer best known for the opéra-ballet Les élémens....
in 1728.