Louis Baron
Encyclopedia
Louis Baron, stage name Baron, was a French actor and singer (bass), born in September 1838 at Alençon
, died in 1920.
His first stage appearances were at the Théâtre de la Tour-d'Auvergne, and subsequently in Limoges
(1857-58) and Troyes
(1858-59). After military service as a customs officer he then appeared in Toulouse
(1863) and Rouen
(1864-66).
In July 1866 he made his debut at the Théâtre des Variétés
in the comedy Le photographe by Meilhac
and Ludovic Halévy
, going on to create many other roles in plays by Labiche (Les trente millions de gladiator) and Meilhac
and Halévy
(including La cigale, La petite marquise, and Toto chez Tata).
In the field of operetta he created various roles in works by Offenbach
including La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
, Les brigands
, and La boulangère a des écus, as well as appearing in revivals. For Hervé
he created Célestin in Mam'zelle Nitouche
, as well as roles in Lili, La Femme à papa, and Le Trône d'Écosse.
In 1886 he was briefly co-director of the Variétés with Eugène Bertrand before moving on to the Gaîté
.
His son, Louis Baron, fils
(1870-1939), was also an actor and singer who had a long stage and film career in France including the premiere of Dédé
in 1921.
Alençon
Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:...
, died in 1920.
His first stage appearances were at the Théâtre de la Tour-d'Auvergne, and subsequently in Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
(1857-58) and Troyes
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
(1858-59). After military service as a customs officer he then appeared in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
(1863) and 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...
(1864-66).
In July 1866 he made his debut at the Théâtre des Variétés
Théâtre des Variétés
The Théâtre des Variétés is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1975.-History:...
in the comedy Le photographe by Meilhac
Henri Meilhac
Henri Meilhac , was a French dramatist and opera librettist.-Biography:Meilhac was born in Paris in 1831. As a young man, he began writing fanciful articles for Parisian newspapers and vaudevilles, in a vivacious boulevardier spirit which brought him to the forefront...
and Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy was a French author and playwright. He was half Jewish : his Jewish father had converted to Christianity prior to his birth, to marry his mother, née Alexandrine Lebas.-Biography:Ludovic Halévy was born in Paris...
, going on to create many other roles in plays by Labiche (Les trente millions de gladiator) and Meilhac
Henri Meilhac
Henri Meilhac , was a French dramatist and opera librettist.-Biography:Meilhac was born in Paris in 1831. As a young man, he began writing fanciful articles for Parisian newspapers and vaudevilles, in a vivacious boulevardier spirit which brought him to the forefront...
and Halévy
Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy was a French author and playwright. He was half Jewish : his Jewish father had converted to Christianity prior to his birth, to marry his mother, née Alexandrine Lebas.-Biography:Ludovic Halévy was born in Paris...
(including La cigale, La petite marquise, and Toto chez Tata).
In the field of operetta he created various roles in works by Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
including La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein is an opéra bouffe , in three acts and four tableaux by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy...
, Les brigands
Les brigands
Les brigands is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy....
, and La boulangère a des écus, as well as appearing in revivals. For Hervé
Hervé (composer)
Hervé , real name Louis Auguste Florimond Ronger, was a French singer, composer, librettist, conductor and scene painter, whom Ernest Newman, following Reynaldo Hahn, credited with inventing the genre of operetta in Paris.-Life:Hervé was born in Houdain near Arras...
he created Célestin in Mam'zelle Nitouche
Mam'zelle Nitouche
Mam'zelle Nitouche is a vaudeville-opérette by Hervé. The libretto was by Henri Meilhac and Albert Millaud.-Performance history:It was first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, Paris on 26 January 1883.- Roles :-Synopsis:...
, as well as roles in Lili, La Femme à papa, and Le Trône d'Écosse.
In 1886 he was briefly co-director of the Variétés with Eugène Bertrand before moving on to the Gaîté
Théâtre de la Gaîté (rue Papin)
In 1862 during Haussmann's modernization of Paris the Théâtre de la Gaîté of the boulevard du Temple was relocated to the rue Papin across from the Square des Arts et Métiers....
.
His son, Louis Baron, fils
Louis Baron, son
Louis Bouchêne, known as Louis Baron, fils , was an actor and singer, who took part in many operettas and comédie-musicales, and was in 30 films between 1929 et 1938...
(1870-1939), was also an actor and singer who had a long stage and film career in France including the premiere of Dédé
Dédé (opérette)
Dédé is an opérette or musical comedy in three acts with music by Henri Christiné and a French libretto by Albert Willemetz. It marked an important milestone in developing the career of Maurice Chevalier.-Performance history:...
in 1921.