Labarre, Théodore (-François-Joseph)
Labarre, Théodore (-François-Joseph)
Labarre, Théodore (-François-Joseph), French harpist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Paris, March 5, 1805; d. there, March 9, 1870. He was a foster-brother of Napoleon III. After private training with Bocha, Cosineau, and Nadermann, he studied with Dourlen (harmony), Eler and Fétis (counterpoint), and Boieldieu (composition) at the Paris Cons., where he won 2nd prize in the Prix de Rome with his cantata Pyramus et Thisbé (1823). Following tours of England, Italy, and Switzerland as a harpist, he returned to Paris in 1831 and devoted himself to composing. In 1837 he married the singer Lambert. From 1847 to 1849 he was a conductor at the Paris Opéra-Comique. In 1852 he was named director of the imperial chapel. In 1867 he became prof, of harp at the Paris Cons. In 1862 he received the Légion d’honneur. Labarre publ. a Méthode complète pour la harpe (Paris, 1844).
Works
dramatic(all first perf. in Paris): opera:L’aspirant de marine, opéra-comique (June 2, 1834); Le ménétrier ou Les deux duchesses, opera (Aug. 9, 1845); Pantagruel, opéra-comique (Dec. 24, 1855). ba1let:La révolte des femmes (Dec. 4, 1833); Jovita ou Les boucaniers (Nov. 11, 1853); La Fonti (Jan. 8, 1855); Graziosa (March 26, 1861); Le wir d’Yvetot (Dec. 28, 1865). other:Fantaisie for Harp and Orch. (1841); trios for Harp, Horn, and Bassoon; duos for Harp and Horn; salon pieces for Harp and Piano; many solo harp pieces; Pyramus et Thisbé, cantata (1823).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire