Jean-Baptiste Lully

28 November 1632 – 22 March 1687

Jean-Baptiste Lully was an Italian-born French composer, dancer, and violinist who dominated music at the court of Louis XIV. As surintendant of the king's music and director of the Académie Royale de Musique, he created the tragédie en musique, the defining genre of French Baroque opera. His collaborations with Molière also produced the comédie-ballet.

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Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Life events

Born in Florence as Giovanni Battista Lulli
28 November 1632

Lully was born in Florence on 28 November 1632, the son of a miller.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Moved to France to serve Mademoiselle de Montpensier
1646

In 1646 the teenage Lully was taken to Paris to serve as an Italian conversation partner to Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, in whose household he developed his musical and dancing skills.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Danced with Louis XIV in the Ballet royal de la nuit
February 1653

In February 1653 Lully danced alongside the young Louis XIV in the Ballet royal de la nuit and was soon appointed royal composer of instrumental music.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Appointed surintendant of the king's music and became a French subject
1661

In 1661 Lully was named surintendant de la musique de la chambre du roi and obtained French naturalization.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Madeleine Lambert
1662

In 1662 Lully married Madeleine Lambert, daughter of the composer Michel Lambert, with whom he had ten children.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relationship ✓
Collaborated with Molière on comédies-ballets
1664 – 1671

From 1664 Lully and Molière created a series of comédies-ballets, including Le Bourgeois gentilhomme in 1670.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Took control of the Académie Royale de Musique
1672

In 1672 Lully acquired the royal privilege for opera in France, giving him a near-monopoly over sung drama.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Premiere of Cadmus et Hermione, the first tragédie en musique
April 1673

Lully's Cadmus et Hermione, written with librettist Philippe Quinault, premiered in Paris in April 1673 and established French serious opera.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Injured his foot while conducting a Te Deum
8 January 1687

In January 1687, while conducting a Te Deum celebrating the king's recovery from illness, Lully struck his foot with his conducting staff, and the wound turned gangrenous.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Paris
22 March 1687

Lully died in Paris on 22 March 1687 from gangrene resulting from his conducting injury, after refusing amputation of his leg.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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