Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi, also known by the pseudonym Norbert Lorédan, (21 November 1865 – 30 January 1943) was a French theatre director, librettist, journalist and writer. He was born in Toulouse and died in Paris.

Biography

A son of a banker and distant cousin of Gambetta, Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi studied at the college in Castres, where he met Jean Jaurès, who was at that time a tutor there, and became a friend of the doctor and scholar François de Vesian. He went to study law in Toulouse. In 1887–1888, at the instigation of

Laurent Tailhade Laurent Tailhade (; 1854–1919) was a French satirical poet, anarchist polemicist, essayist, and translator, active in Paris in the 1890s and early 1900s. Works *''Au pays du mufle'' 1891. *''Poèmes élégiaques'' Vitraux. Vanier, 1891. *''A ...

, Gheusi worked on the revue ''Le Décadent'', but his literary career struggled to take off, despite the recommendations of Émile Zola and

Catulle Mendès Catulle Mendès (22 May 1841 – 8 February 1909) was a French poet and man of letters. Early life and career Of Portuguese Jewish extraction, Mendès was born in Bordeaux. After childhood and adolescence in Toulouse, he arrived in Paris in 185 ...

. Gheusi was involved in republican politics and joined the electoral campaign of Jaurès in the legislative elections of 1889 in Castres. In the following years, the government called on his services from time to time. In 1897,

Ernest Constans Jean Antoine Ernest Constans (3 May 1833 – 7 April 1913) was a French politician and colonial administrator. Biography Born in Béziers, Hérault, he began his career as professor of law. In 1876 he was elected deputy for Toulouse to the Fren ...

sent him on an inspection tour of Christian schools in Palestine. After a short period at the Ministère des Colonies in 1906, beside

Georges Leygues Georges Leygues (; 29 October 1856 – 2 September 1933) was a French politician of the Third Republic. During his time as Minister of Marine he worked with the navy's chief of staff Henri Salaun in unsuccessful attempts to gain naval re-arma ...

(also from south west France), he was charged by

Jean Cruppi Jean Cruppi (22 May 1855 in Toulouse – 16 October 1933 in Fontainebleau) was a French politician of the Third Republic. He was married to author and activist Louise Cruppi Louise Cruppi, née Crémieux (1862–1925), was a French writer, ...

, then minister of Foreign Affairs, to work in 1911 for the restoration of diplomatic relations between France and Venezuela. In 1894, he married Adrienne Willems, nièce of the painter

Florent Willems Florent Willems or Florent Willems van Edeghem (8 January 1823 – 23 October 1905)Florent Willems
at the

and frequented, alongside many free-thinkers and free-masons, the Luscrambo, an association which grouped the Toulousains of Paris, founded by the singer and future director of the Opéra

Pedro Gailhard Pedro or Pierre Gailhard, full name Pierre Samson Gailhard, (1 August 1848 – 12 October 1918) was a French opera singer and theatre director. Gifted with an exceptional singing bass voice, Pedro Gailhard made his debut at the Opéra-Comique i ...

. His novel ''Gaucher Myrian'', written in collaboration with the Bordeaux intellectual and musicologist

Anatole Loquin Anatole Loquin (1834 in Orléans – 1903) was a French writer, comptroller of Customs and musicologist. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Paul Lavigne, Louis Sévin et Ubalde. Author of numerous theoretical works of music, Loquin defended with g ...

was published in 1893, and attests to his interest in

catharism Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Follow ...

. In 1906, he became a member of the

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, alongside Léonce-Eugène Fabre des Essarts and

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

. In 1897, Arthur Meyer entrusted him with the direction of the illustrated literary supplement of the ''Gaulois'' which had just been created with the title ''Le Gaulois du dimanche''. In 1899, he bought the ''Nouvelle Revue'' from Juliette Adam. Under his direction, this periodical enjoyed a particularly brilliant period. In 1911, he acquired the castle of the Baron, Albert de L'Espée, at Ilbarritz, by

Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...

at auction, and envisaged making a golf course; the 1914 war stopped the works and he transformed the house into a hospital for repatriated injured soldiers during the First World War. He himself served as subalterne/officier d'ordonnance of

Gallieni Joseph Simon Gallieni (24 April 1849 – 27 May 1916) was a French soldier, active for most of his career as a military commander and administrator in the French colonies. Gallieni is infamous in Madagascar as the French military leader who e ...

. Pedro Gailhard had called him to serve in the direction of the Paris Opéra in 1906 and in 1914, he became director of the l'Opéra Comique, alongside Émile and

Vincent Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer''). People with the given name Artists *Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor *Vincent van Gogh ...

Isola. He was suddenly removed in 1918 by his sworn enemy Clemenceau. After a short time running the Théâtre Lyrique du Vaudeville (1919–1920), he became editor of ''

Figaro Figaro may refer to: Literature * Figaro, the central character in: ** ''The Barber of Seville'' (play), a 1775 play by Pierre Beaumarchais *** ''The Barber of Seville'' (Paisiello), a 1782 opera by Paisiello based on the play *** ''The Bar ...

'' and soon was promoted to administrative director. He was especially entrusted by the new proprietor,

François Coty François Coty (born Joseph Marie François Spoturno in Corsica ; 3 May 1874 – 25 July 1934) was a French perfumer, businessman, newspaper publisher, politician and patron of the arts. He was the founder of the Coty perfume company, today a ...

, with organizing the merger with '' Le Gaulois'' in 1929, before leaving in 1932. In that year

Anatole de Monzie Anatole de Monzie (22 November 1876, Bazas, Gironde – 11 January 1947, Paris) was a French administrator, encyclopaedist ('' Encyclopédie française''), political figure and scholar. His father was a tax collector in Bazas, Gironde whe ...

, Minister of Public Instruction and Beaux-Arts, nominated him again Director of the Opéra-Comique which was in a financial crisis. Gheusi used his own funds to assist the theatre, but he was forced to resign at the time of the strikes of 1936.Wolff S. ''Un demi-siècle d'Opéra-Comique (1900–1950).'' André Bonne, Paris, 1953. He died in Paris on 30 January 1943. His memoirs, ''Cinquante Ans de Paris'', are a document on the political life under the Third Républic.

Works of Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi

;Stage and opera * ''La Fée aux roses'', (saynète) by Norbert Lorédan, 1888 * ''La Veillée de Jeanne d'Arc'', Scène lyrique for soprano, men's chorus and orchestra, with Ernest Lefèvre, (around 1890) * ''Rayon d'onyx'', Poème for the stage, 1890 * ''Le Carillon'', opéra in 3 acts, in collaboration with J. Méry, music by J. Ulrich,

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. ...

, 15 September 1895 * ''Damayanti'', légende lyrique in 1 act, music by Lucien Fontayne, Grand-Théâtre de Marseille, 7 May 1895 * ''Ermessinde'', opéra in 2 acts and 3 tableaux * ''Guernica'', drame lyrique in 3 acts, with Pedro Gailhard, music by Paul Vidal, Opéra-comique, 5 June 1895 * ''Carloman'', drame lyrique in 3 acts, 1896 * ''Kermaria'', idylle d'Armorique in 3 acts with a prologue, Paris Opéra-comique, 1897 * ''Faublas'', opéra, music by Camille Erlanger, 1897 * ''La Cloche du Rhin'', drame lyrique in 3 acts, with Georges Montorgueil, music by Samuel Rousseau, Opéra de Paris, May 1898 * ''Le Comte Roger'', drame in 4 acts, with Édouard Noël, l'Athénée, Paris, 28 June 1900 * ''Le Juif Polonais'', opéra 3 acts and 6 tableaux, in collaboration with Henri Cain after Erckmann-Chatrian, music by Camille Erlanger, Opéra-Comique, 11 April 1900 * ''Les Barbares'', tragédie lyrique in 3 acts and a prologue, with Victorien Sardou, music by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

, Opéra de Paris, 23 October 1901 * ''Orsola'', drame lyrique in 3 acts, music by Paul and Lucien Hillemacher, Opéra de Paris, 14 May 1902 * ''Trilby'', féerie in one act, with Charles Lomon, Comédie-Française, 1904 * ''Çanta'', tragédie lyrique in 3 acts and 4 tableaux, after the

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ea ...

and the Ramayana, with J. Fonville, music by

Pierre Kunc Pierre Kunc (28 October 1865 – 29 December 1941) was a French composer and organist. Life Kunc was born in Toulouse, the son of and brother of Aymé Kunc. After literary studies in his hometown, Kunc entered the École Niedermeyer de Paris i ...

, Paris music competition. 1900–1903 * ''Fiorella'', comédie lyrique in 1 act, with Victorien Sardou, 1905 * ''Chacun sa vie'', comédie in 3 acts, with Gustave Guiches, Comédie-Française, 10 September 1907 * ''Le Miracle'', drame lyrique in 5 acts, with André Mérane, music by Georges-Adolphe Hué, Opéra de Paris, 1 December 1910 * ''Perkain'', drame lyrique in 3 acts, Basque legend after Pierre Harispe, music by

Jean Poueigh Jean Marie Octave Géraud Poueigh (24 February 1876 in Toulouse – 14 October 1958 in Olivet) was a French composer, musicologist, music critic, and folklorist. He wrote music criticism under the pseudonym Octave Séré. Poueigh is known for suing ...

, 1931 ;Novels * ''Gaucher Myrian, vie aventureuse d'un escholier féodal. Salamanque, Toulouse et Paris au XIIIe siècle'', with Paul Lavigne, 1893 * ''L'Âme de Jeanne Darc, roman épisodique de la guerre de cent ans'', 1895 * ''Le Serpent de mer, roman à clés'', 1899 * ''Montsalvat'' 1890–1910 * ''La Mamelouke, roman d'un officier de Bonaparte en Égypte et en Syrie'', 1905 * ''Biarritz-des-Goélands'', 1905 * ''Le Puits des âmes'', 1906 * ''L'Opéra romanesque'', 1910 * ''Les Pirates de l'Opéra'', 1911 * ''Le Mascaret rouge'', 1931 * ''Les Amours de Faublas'', novel in 7 chapters after Louvet de Couvray, 1938 * ''La Fille de Monte-Cristo'', 1948 ;Historical * Gambetta, par Gambetta, lettres intimes et souvenirs de famille publiés par P.-B. Gheusi, 1909 * Gallieni 1849–1916, 1922 * La Gloire de Gallieni. Comment Paris fut sauvé. Le Testament d'un soldat, 1928 * Gallieni et Madagascar, Paris ; 1931 * La Vie et la Mort singulières de Gambetta, 1932 * Le Roman de Gambetta, 1938 * La Vie prodigieuse du maréchal Gallieni, 1939 ;Other * Quelques pages d'un vieil album, 1889 * Le Blason héraldique, manuel nouveau de l'art héraldique, de la science du blason et de la polychromie féodale, d'après les règles du moyen âge, 1892 * Simplement, poèmes, 1895 * Midi. Silhouettes : E. Barbey, Constans, Gailhard, Gallieni, Mgr Gazaniol, Jean Jaurès, Georges Leygues, Verdi, Paul Vidal, Emma Calvé, Aïno Ackté, etc. Théâtre, paysages et légendes, de l'Opéra à la mosquée d'Omar, 1900 * Sous le volcan, 1903 * Les Atlantes, aventures de temps légendaires, with Charles Lomon, 1905 * Les Chefs, études politiques et de théâtre, 1914 * Guerre et théâtre, 1914–1918. Mémoires d'un officier du général Gallieni et journal parisien du directeur du théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique pendant la guerre, 1919 * L'Opéra-Comique pendant la guerre, 1919 * L'Affaire de l'Opéra-Comique et l'Opéra-Comique de Lafferre, 1923 * Les Tueurs de rois, 1926 * Jeanne Myrtale.

Jean Mouliérat Jean Mouliérat (13 November 1853 – 20 April 1932) was a French tenor. He spent most of his career at the Opéra comique in Paris. Origins Born in Vers, near Cahors, Mouliérat was the son of an hotelier. The paternal hotel-restaurant, ''La ...

, with Thomas Salignac, 1933 * L'Opéra-Comique sous la haine, Paris, 1937 * Cinquante ans de Paris, mémoires d'un témoin, 1889–1938, 1939, 4 volumes * La Femme nue du Montcalm, 1945.

References

* Christophe Luraschi, ''Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi'', Editions Atlantica, 2001
Biographie
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gheusi, Pierre-Barthelemy 1865 births 1943 deaths French opera librettists Opera managers Writers from Toulouse French male dramatists and playwrights