Hugues Randolph Gall (born 18 March 1940) is a French opera manager, former head of the

Grand Théâtre de Genève Grand Théâtre de Genève is an opera house in Geneva, Switzerland. As with many other opera houses, the Grand Théâtre de Genève is both a venue and an institution. The venue is a majestic building, towering over Place Neuve, official ...

and the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

Career

Born in

Honfleur Honfleur () is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. The people that inhabit Honf ...

, after his studies at the

Institut d'études politiques de Paris , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , accreditation ...

and at the Sorbonne in German literature, Gall began his career in the offices of

Edgar Faure Edgar Jean Faure (; 18 August 1908 – 30 March 1988) was a French politician, lawyer, essayist, historian and memoirist who served as Prime Minister of France in 1952 and again between 1955 and 1956.baccalaureate Baccalaureate may refer to: * ''Baccalauréat'', a French national academic qualification * Bachelor's degree, or baccalaureate, an undergraduate academic degree * English Baccalaureate, a performance measure to assess secondary schools in England ...

and the artistic department of the

University of Vincennes Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis (french: Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis) is a public university in Paris, France. Once part of the historic University of Paris, it is now an autonomous public institution. It is one of the th ...

. He then joined the cabinet of

Edmond Michelet Edmond Michelet (8 October 1899 – 9 October 1970) was a French politician. He is the father of the writer Claude Michelet. On 17 June 1940, he distributed tracts calling to continue the war in all Brive-la-Gaillarde's mailboxes. It is consid ...

, Minister of State in charge of Cultural Affairs. General secretary of the from 1969, he was assistant to

Rolf Liebermann Rolf Liebermann (14 September 1910 – 2 January 1999), was a Swiss composer and music administrator. He served as the Artistic Director of the Hamburg State Opera from 1959 to 1973 and again from 1985 to 1988. He was also Artistic Director of ...

at the Paris Opera from 1973 to 1980. He was then director of the Grand Théâtre de Genève from 1980 to 1995, and finally director of the Paris Opera from 1995 to 2004. On 18 December 2002, Gall was elected a member of the

Académie des Beaux-Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

in the chair previously occupied by

Daniel Wildenstein Daniel Leopold Wildenstein (11 September 1917 – 23 October 2001) was a French art dealer, historian and owner-breeder of thoroughbred race horses. He was the third member of the family to preside over Wildenstein & Co., one of the most succes ...

. From September 2004 to 2010, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the . From 2005 to 2009, he was an extraordinary State Councillor; Vice-President of the Nureyev Foundation until 2009, member of the Board of the

Veolia Environnement Veolia Environnement S.A., branded as Veolia, is a French Multinational corporation, transnational company with activities in three main service and utility areas traditionally managed by public authorities – water resource management, water m ...

Corporate Foundation until 2011 and still a member of the Chambre Professionnelle des Directions d'Opéra(CPDO). From 2002 to 2008, he chaired the jury of the International singing competition of Toulouse. In March 2008, he was elected by his colleagues at the Académie des Beaux-Arts as director of the

Fondation Monet in Giverny The Fondation Claude Monet is a nonprofit organisation that runs and preserves the house and gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny, France, where Monet lived and painted for 43 years. Monet was inspired by his gardens, and spent years transforming ...

and was re-elected to this position for a period of 5 years in March 2013. At the end of March 2008, Gall was appointed chairman of the committee responsible for filling the position of director of the

Villa Médicis The Villa Medici () is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici ...

in Rome. This commission (known as the "Gall Commission") was thus responsible for establishing the criteria for the admissibility of applications according to the needs of Villa Médicis, then interviewing the candidates corresponding to these criteria and proposing a list of personalities deemed suitable for the position. The "Gall Commission" was composed of

Paul Andreu Paul Andreu (10 July 1938 – 11 October 2018) was a French architect, known for his designs of multiple airports such as Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, and multiple prestigious projects in China, including the National Centre for the Per ...

, architect,

Edmonde Charles-Roux Edmonde Charles-Roux (17 April 1920 – 20 January 2016) was a French writer. Early life Charles-Roux was born in 1920 at Neuilly-sur-Seine, the daughter of Francois Charles-Roux, the former French ambassador to Czechoslovakia, a member of t ...

, writer,

Patrice Chéreau Patrice Chéreau (; 2 November 1944 – 7 October 2013) was a French opera and theatre director, filmmaker, actor and producer. In France he is best known for his work for the theatre, internationally for his films '' La Reine Margot'' and ...

, director,

Pascal Dusapin Pascal Georges Dusapin (born 29 May 1955) is a French composer. His music is marked by its microtonality, tension, and energy. A pupil of Iannis Xenakis and Franco Donatoni and an admirer of Varèse, Dusapin studied at the University of Paris I ...

, composer,

Marc Fumaroli Marc Fumaroli (10 June 1932 – 24 June 2020) was a French historian and essayist who was widely respected as an advocate for French literature and culture. While born in Marseille, Fumaroli grew up in the Moroccan city of Fez, and served in th ...

, historian,

Jean Guéguinou Jean Guéguinou (17 October 1941 – 21 June 2021) was a French diplomat, who served as ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1990–1993), the United Kingdom (1993–1998), and the Vatican City (1993–1998). Guéguinou also served as Consul-General ...

, Ambassador of France, , ,

Brigitte Lefèvre Brigitte Lefèvre (born 15 November 1944) is a French ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher. She was director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1995 to 2014. Early life and education Lefèvre attended the Paris Opera Ballet School from the age of ...

, Director of Dance at the

Paris Opera Ballet The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded ...

, and of

Muriel Mayette Muriel Mayette (born 2 May 1964) is a French actress. Life and career At the age of 14, Mayette followed the lectures of Marcel Tassencourt in Versailles. From 1980 to 1982, she studied at the ''National School of Arts and Theatre Technique ...

, General Administrator of the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

. In May 2008, of the three candidates selected and presented at the choice of the President of the Republic, it was

Frédéric Mitterrand Frédéric Mitterrand (born 21 August 1947) is a French politician who served as Minister of Culture and Communication of France from 2009 to 2012 under President Nicolas Sarkozy. Throughout his career, he has been an actor, screenwriter, tele ...

who was appointed Director of the

Académie de France à Rome The French Academy in Rome (french: Académie de France à Rome) is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio (Pincian Hill) in Rome, Italy. History The Academy was founded at the Palazzo Capranica in ...

, which therefore marked the end of the "Gall Commission". Since 2008, Gall has been a member of the Council of the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur and is President of the Orchestre français des jeunes (FOJ), an institution created in 1982, funded by the Ministry of Culture and in residence at the Grand Théâtre de Provence in

Aix en Provence Aix-en-Provence (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Ais de Provença in classical norm, or in Mistralian norm, ; la, Aquae Sextiae), or simply Aix ( medieval Occitan: ''Aics''), is a city and commune in southern France, about north of Marseille. ...

. On 28 October 2010, he was appointed for a 5-year term as a qualified person chosen for their expertise in environmental and sustainable development issues at the

French Economic, Social and Environmental Council The Economic, Social and Environmental Council ( French: ''Conseil économique, social et environnemental''), known as the Economic and Social Council before the constitutional law of 23 July 2008, is a consultative assembly in France. It does ...

(CESE). He is a member of the Commission des Affaires Étrangères et Européennes of the French parliament. On 17 February 2010,

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, , ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981. After serving as Minister of Finance under prime ...

announced Gall's participation in the commission for reflection on the future of the

Hôtel de la Marine The hôtel de la Marine (also known as the hôtel du Garde-Meuble) is an historic building located on place de la Concorde in Paris, to the east of rue Royale. It was designed and built between 1757 and 1774 by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabrie ...

chaired by the former President of the Republic. This commission brought together twelve personalities, members of the

Institut de France The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute m ...

, historians, former ministers and heads of cultural institutions.« Hôtel de la Marine: Pierre Nora intègre la commission »
, ''

Libération ''Libération'' (), popularly known as ''Libé'' (), is a daily newspaper in France, founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Initially positioned on the far-left of France's ...

'' 17 February 2010. His report was submitted to the President of the Republic in July 2010, thus signing the dissolution of this temporary committee. Finally, Gall is a member of several boards of directors, including the Board of Directors of the

Château de Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence f ...

, the

Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner The Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner is a French art museum dedicated to the works of painter Jean-Jacques Henner (1829–1905). It is located in the 17th arrondissement of Paris at 43, Avenue de Villiers. The museum in housed within an 1878 ...

, the Summer Academies of Nice and the . He is also a member of the cultural council of the

Monnaie de Paris The Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) is a government-owned institution responsible for producing France's coins. Founded in AD 864 with the Edict of Pistres, it is the world's oldest continuously running minting institution. In 1973, the mint reloc ...

and the strategic reflection council of the

Réunion des musées nationaux The Réunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN) is a French cultural umbrella organisation, an établissement public à caractère industriel et commercial (EPIC), formed in 2011, through the merger of the Paris National Museums and the Grand Palais. It ...

Awards

* Bourgeois d’honneur de Genève * Laureate of the (1996) * Grande Médaille d'Honneur de la ville de Honfleur (1997) * Laureate of the Prix Grand Siècle Laurent-Perrier (1999) * Laureate of the Beaumarchais medal of the SACD (2004) * Commandeur of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

* Commandeur of the

Ordre national du Mérite The Ordre national du Mérite (; en, National Order of Merit) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's esta ...

* Commandeur of the

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

* Commandeur of the

Palmes académiques Palmes is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Sir Brian Palmes, English landowner and politician *Sir Guy Palmes, English politician * Brian Palmes MP *Lieutenant General Francis Palmes Lieutenant-General Francis Palmes MP ( ...

* Chevalier of the

Mérite agricole The Order of Agricultural Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite agricole) is an order of merit bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contributions to agriculture. When it was created in 1883, it was second in importance only to the ...

* Commandeur of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

Order of Friendship The Order of Friendship (russian: Орден Дружбы, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds a ...

(Russia) in 2011

References

External links

Hugues Gall
on the site of the

Interview of Hugues Gall, former director of the Paris Opera
on ''La Tribune de l'art''
Hugues Gall
on '' Valeurs actuelles''
Hugues Gall, de l’Académie des beaux-arts, et l’opéra

''Palais Garnier : Hugues Gall monte à l'assaut''
on ForumOpera.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Gall, Hugues 1940 births Living people People from Honfleur Sciences Po alumni Opera managers Directors of the Paris Opera Members of the Académie des beaux-arts Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Commanders of the Ordre national du Mérite Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commandeurs of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques Knights of the Order of Agricultural Merit