Composer of the Month 3/2012: Jean Baptiste Lully (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

Monaco 23.5.1985 The video shows the "Ensemble des Folies françoises" under the direction of Patrick Cohen Akenine with an excerpt from the ballet-tragedy "Psyché", performed in the mirror hall of the palace at Versailles. Jean Baptiste Lully was born in Florenz on 28.11.1632. As a young person he came to the French court, where he extended his musical education and was trained as a ballet dancer. He became first known as an author of a new kind of ballets, for which it composed vocal and instrumental music and in which he appeared at the side of the king Ludwig XIV. as a dancer. Together with Molière Lully wrote several Comédies ballets for the famous court celebrations in Versailles. With his fifteen "Tragédies en musique" he created an own kind of opera, in which the choir and ballet played an important role. With this opera conception, Lully supplied a model that influenced the French opera up to the 20th century. Besides Lully composed some church music, motetts and chamber music. Jean Baptiste Lully, the most important French composer of the 17th century, died in Paris on 22. March 1687. In March 2012 his death anniversary comes up for the 325th time. More composer can be found in the members only section