Robert Cambert (c. 1628–1677) was a French

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

principally of

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

. His opera '' Pomone'' was the first actual opera in French.

Biography

Under Mazarin

Born in Paris c. 1628, he studied music under Chambonnières. His first position was as

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

at the church of Saint-Honoré in Paris. In 1655 he married Marie du Moustier. At this time he came under the patronage of

Cardinal Mazarin Cardinal Jules Mazarin (, also , , ; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino () or Mazarini, was an Italian cardinal, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Louis XIII and Louis X ...

who was instrumental in his appointment as Superintendent of music to the Dowager Queen Anne of Austria, mother of

Louis XIV Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...

. Cambert's early works with

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major li ...

written by

Pierre Perrin Pierre Perrin (c.1620 – 24 April 1675) was a French poet and librettist. Perrin, sometimes known as L'Abbé Perrin although he never belonged to the clergy, was born in Lyon. He founded the Académie d'Opéra, which later was renamed the Acad ...

were frequently performed at court during this period. However, following the death of the powerful Mazarin, and the Queen's subsequent retirement to a convent, Cambert's position at court was weakened, as new powers came into force at court.

''Académie Royale de Musique''

In 1669 Perrin founded the ''Académie Royale de Musique'', under the auspices of the French King. Cambert was invited to join Perrin in the administration of the project which is considered today to be one of the founding influences of

grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...

. However, both Perrin and Cambert were eventually replaced at the academy by Lully. Cambert, furious at the insult, and at the lack of interest in his work shown by the French monarchy, left France in 1673 to pursue his career in England.

English years

In England he was warmly received at the court of King Charles II, and was quickly appointed to "Master of the King's Band". Various pieces by him which had been shunned in France were now performed in London, but while accepted at the English court, he enjoyed little success with the general English public. His operas '' Pomone'', '' Ariane'' and '' Les Peines et les plaisirs de l'amour'' were if anything less to the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...

taste than the French. Cambert died, rather mysteriously, in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. His death was widely reported at the time to be suicide; another widespread theory is that he was poisoned by one of his servants. Some have accused Lully of complicity in Cambert's demise.

Depictions in fiction

Gérard Corbiau's 2000 film '' Le Roi danse'' (''The King is dancing'') portrays a much older-looking Cambert (

Johan Leysen Johan Leysen (19 February 1950 – 30 March 2023) was a Belgian actor. He appeared in more than 130 films and television shows from 1977. He starred in the film '' De grens'', which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1984 Cann ...

) as the archrival of Lully and a symbol of Mazarin's old court Catholic establishment. Disgusted by libertine and pagan Lully, he desperately tries to prevent his rise and their animosity comes to a novel dimension after Cambert's mistress Madeleine Lambert, the daughter of

Michel Lambert Michel Lambert (1610 – 29 June 1696) was a French singing master, theorbist and composer. Career Lambert was born at Champigny-sur-Veude, France. He received his musical education as an altar boy at the Chapel of Gaston d'Orléans, a brother of ...

, marries Lully.

Notes

References

*Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages, * Kennedy, Michael (2006), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', 985 pages,

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cambert, Robert 1620s births 1677 deaths Musicians from Paris French male classical composers French Baroque composers French opera composers Male opera composers 17th-century classical composers 17th-century male musicians