François-Auguste Gevaert

Biography

Life/education 

François-Auguste Gevaert was born in 1828 as the son of a poor baker’s family in Huise, near Oudenaarde. Already at a young age, he was involved with music: As a child he received music classes at the parish church, was already composing at the age of 9 and shortly thereafter left to attend the Conservatory of Ghent. In addition to this, he became the organist for the Jesuit church of Ghent at the age of 14. 

His career really took off in 1847 when, at the age of 19, he won the Belgian state prize with his cantata Le roi Lear.  Thanks to this scholarship he was able to travel to France, Spain, Italy and Germany, where he triumphed as a composer. In Spain he made such an impression that he was knighted by Queen Isabel II of Spain in 1851. He was also knighted to the Ordre Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts of Prussia, and because of his accomplishments as a composer and music director he was made a baron in 1907 by King Leopold II.  

Composer

Gevaert’s study tour ended in Paris where he, thanks to letters of support by François Fétis (1784-1871), established himself as an opera composer. Especially thanks to the Belgian playwright Gustave Vaëz (1812-1862), he was able to stage a lot of operas in this music capital. In 1583, it was in this manner that he staged his first Parisian opera, Georgette, in the Théâtre-Lyrique. This opera received much praise for its originality. Because of this success, seven other operas followed, to be performed in either the Théâtre-Lyrique or the Opéra-Comique. These were also well received, including by the musical coryphées of the nineteenth century such as Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). 

Although he properly maintained his Belgian contacts by advising the Conservatory of Ghent and delivering compositions to his birthplace, Parisian life went well for him: he maintained an amicable relationship with Gioacchino Rossini  (1792-1868) and together with Jules Verne he was a welcome guest to the carnival parties which Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) organised. 

Chant de l’opéra

In this way Gevaert became an established name in Paris, which led to him being named the “directeur du chant” for the Parisian Opéra. This position was created especially for him and can be compared to the current position of artistic director. His tasks consisted of determining which operas would be performed, the selection of cast members, providing recitatives for classic operas and even if required conduct himself. In 1870, when the Franco-Prussian war broke out, Gevaert was obliged to hand in his resignation and return homeward.