Gabriel Dupont
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Édouard Xavier Dupont (March 1, 1878 - August 1, 1914) was a French composer, known for his opera
s and chamber music
.
Dupont was born in Caen
. Following after his father who was teacher at the Malherbe secondary school and the organist at the Church Saint-Étienne in his home town, at the age of 15, Dupont began his studies at the conservatory of music and declamation. There, he studied harmony with Antoine Taudou, descant with André Gedalge
and composition with Jules Massenet
. In 1895, he was given instruction on the organ by Alexander Guilmant. Between 1897 and 1903, he studied composition with Charles-Marie Widor
.
Dupont's brothers also had artistic careers. Maurice, curator of the Guimet Museum
, was an Oriental expert and man of letters. Robert (1874–1949) was a landscaper for Sarthe
and Brittany and was an official painter of the town halls of Paris.
In 1901, while performing his military service, Dupont competed for the Rome Prize
. He won second prize, behind André Caplet
but in front of Maurice Ravel
. He was also named laureate of the Sonzogno competition for composing the opera La Cabrera. This composition became well known for its success in la Scala, then in 1905 in the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique
. As a pianist, he famously composed a cycle of ten pieces for the piano, La Maison dans les dunes (1908–1909), created on June 3, 1910 with Maurice Dumesnil at Salle Pleyel. He went on to write another three operas. The first, La Glu (1909), was a Breton melodrama based on a novel by Jean Richepin
. The second, La Farce du cuvier (1911), was based on a libretto
by Henri Cain
. The third was also based on Cain's libretto was called Antar (1912–14). This last opera was performed after Dupont's death in a grandiose and exotically dark production at the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique in March, 1921.
Dupont died from tuberculosis
on the evening of August 1, 1914. The monument on his tomb is prominent in the graveyard of Le Vésinet
, the city where he died.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s and chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
.
Dupont was born in Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. Following after his father who was teacher at the Malherbe secondary school and the organist at the Church Saint-Étienne in his home town, at the age of 15, Dupont began his studies at the conservatory of music and declamation. There, he studied harmony with Antoine Taudou, descant with André Gedalge
André Gedalge
André Gedalge , was an influential French composer and teacher.- Biography :André Gedalge was born at 75 rue des Saints-Pères, in Paris, where he first worked as a bookseller and editor specializing in livres de prix for public schools...
and composition with Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
. In 1895, he was given instruction on the organ by Alexander Guilmant. Between 1897 and 1903, he studied composition with Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
.
Dupont's brothers also had artistic careers. Maurice, curator of the Guimet Museum
Guimet Museum
The Guimet Museum is a museum of Asian art located at 6, place d'Iéna in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, was an Oriental expert and man of letters. Robert (1874–1949) was a landscaper for Sarthe
Sarthe
Sarthe is a French department, named after the Sarthe River.- History :The department was created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790, pursuant to the law of December 22, 1789, starting from a part of the province of Maine which was divided into two departments, Sarthe to the east and...
and Brittany and was an official painter of the town halls of Paris.
In 1901, while performing his military service, Dupont competed for the Rome Prize
Rome Prize
The Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists and to 15 scholars The Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists...
. He won second prize, behind André Caplet
André Caplet
André Caplet was a French composer and conductor now known primarily through his orchestrations of works by Claude Debussy.-Biography:...
but in front of Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
. He was also named laureate of the Sonzogno competition for composing the opera La Cabrera. This composition became well known for its success in la Scala, then in 1905 in the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
. As a pianist, he famously composed a cycle of ten pieces for the piano, La Maison dans les dunes (1908–1909), created on June 3, 1910 with Maurice Dumesnil at Salle Pleyel. He went on to write another three operas. The first, La Glu (1909), was a Breton melodrama based on a novel by Jean Richepin
Jean Richepin
Jean Richepin , French poet, novelist and dramatist, the son of an army doctor, was born at Médéa, French Algeria.At school and at the École Normale Supérieure he gave evidence of brilliant, if somewhat undisciplined, powers, for which he found physical vent in different directions—first as a...
. The second, La Farce du cuvier (1911), was based on a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Henri Cain
Henri Cain
Henri Caïn was a French dramatist, opera and ballet librettist. He wrote over forty librettos from 1893 to his death, for many of the most prominent composers of the Parisian Belle Epoque....
. The third was also based on Cain's libretto was called Antar (1912–14). This last opera was performed after Dupont's death in a grandiose and exotically dark production at the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique in March, 1921.
Dupont died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
on the evening of August 1, 1914. The monument on his tomb is prominent in the graveyard of Le Vésinet
Le Vésinet
Le Vésinet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center....
, the city where he died.