Foignet, Charles Gabriel

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Foignet, Charles Gabriel

Foignet, Charles Gabriel, French singer and composer; b. Lyons, 1750; d. Paris, 1823. He settled in Paris in 1779, where he taught harpsichord, harp, and singing. After publishing keyboard pieces and songs, he devoted himself to composing for the stage from 1791. With his son, François Foignet (b. Paris, Feb. 17, 1782; d. Strasbourg, July 22, 1845), who was also a singer and composer, he was active with his own Theatre des Jeunes-Artistes from 1798 to 1807. François scored his most celebrated success there when he sang in his own La naissance d’Arlequin, on Arlequin dans un oeuf (July 15, 1803). After 1807, François pursued his singing career in Liege, Bruges, Nantes, Lille, Ghent, and Rouen. Charles had another son, Gabriel Foignet, who was a harpist and composer.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire