Paul Danblon
Encyclopedia
Paul Danblon is a Belgian
composer, opera director and administrator, and journalist. He was one of the pioneers of scientific journalism on RTBF
(Radio télévision belge de la communauté française). In 1954, after graduating in chemistry from the Université Libre de Bruxelles
, Danblon joined the RTBF current events programme, Carnets de l'Actualité. He went on to specialize in producing and presenting popular science
programmes such as La Bouteille à encre, Connaître, and Le point de la médecine. He is the author of two books in the area:
Danblon has also had a parallel career in the arts. He studied composition at the Brussels Conservatory
with Jean Absil
and Marcel Quinet
. His first work, a piano concerto
, premiered in Moscow
in 1954. His other compositions include:
He joined the Opéra Royal de Wallonie
in Liège as a stage director in 1974, and in 1990 wrote the text for a musical entertainment performed by the company, Divertimento doux-amer de Mademoiselle Mozart. In 1992, he became the General Director of the Opéra Wallonie, a post he held until 1996.
A prominent member of the Belgian Laïcité
movement, he is the founder and president of the Centre Laïque de l'Audiovisuel. His book, Au bonheur de vivre: libres propos d'un mécréant (Éditions Complexe, 1999), traces the evolution of his religious philosophy which began with devout Catholicism
and evolved into agnostic
humanism
. He has also written many articles and essays in this area, including:
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
composer, opera director and administrator, and journalist. He was one of the pioneers of scientific journalism on RTBF
RTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
(Radio télévision belge de la communauté française). In 1954, after graduating in chemistry from the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
, Danblon joined the RTBF current events programme, Carnets de l'Actualité. He went on to specialize in producing and presenting popular science
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
programmes such as La Bouteille à encre, Connaître, and Le point de la médecine. He is the author of two books in the area:
- 150 ans de sciences (1830-1980) (Paul Legrain, Brussels, 1980)
- L'espace (Lombard, Brussels, 1964)
Danblon has also had a parallel career in the arts. He studied composition at the Brussels Conservatory
Koninklijk Conservatorium (Brussels)
The Royal Conservatory of Brussels is a drama and music college in Brussels, Belgium. An academy for acting and the arts, it has been attended by many of the top actors and actresses in Belgium such as Josse De Pauw, Luk van Mello and Luk De Konink....
with Jean Absil
Jean Absil
Jean Absil was a Belgian modernist music composer, organist, and professor at the Brussels Conservatory.- Biography :...
and Marcel Quinet
Marcel Quinet
Marcel Alfred Quinet was a Belgian composer and pianist.-Biography:He studied at the Mons Conservatory briefly and then the Brussels Conservatory, where he obtained prizes for harmony in 1936, counterpoint in 1937, fugue in 1938, and a higher piano diploma in 1943. Among his teachers at the...
. His first work, a piano concerto
Piano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
, premiered in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1954. His other compositions include:
- Les Troyennes (1954) - OratorioOratorioAn oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
to a librettoLibrettoA 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 Jean Le Paillot - Cyrano de Bergerac (1980) - OperaOperaOpera 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...
composed for the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Belgian state, with Gabriel BacquierGabriel BacquierGabriel Bacquier is a French operatic baritone. One of the leading baritones of the 20th century and particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories, he is considered a fine singing-actor equally at home in dramatic or comic roles.-Life and career:Gabriel Bacquier was born in...
in the title roleCyrano de BergeracHercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
.
He joined the Opéra Royal de Wallonie
Opéra Royal de Wallonie
The Opéra Royal de Wallonie ' is an opera house in Liège, Belgium, one of four situated in that country.- External links :*...
in Liège as a stage director in 1974, and in 1990 wrote the text for a musical entertainment performed by the company, Divertimento doux-amer de Mademoiselle Mozart. In 1992, he became the General Director of the Opéra Wallonie, a post he held until 1996.
A prominent member of the Belgian Laïcité
Laïcité
French secularism, in French, laïcité is a concept denoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs as well as absence of government involvement in religious affairs. French secularism has a long history but the current regime is based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of...
movement, he is the founder and president of the Centre Laïque de l'Audiovisuel. His book, Au bonheur de vivre: libres propos d'un mécréant (Éditions Complexe, 1999), traces the evolution of his religious philosophy which began with devout Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and evolved into agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
humanism
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
. He has also written many articles and essays in this area, including:
- "La laïcité et les médias", La Pensée et les Hommes, 1985, pp. 66-75.
- "Le rationalisme est-il en crise?", La Pensée et les Hommes, 1991, pp. 153-159.
- "Europe, terre d'humanisme... De quel droit ", Espace de Liberté, 1997, pp. 17-28.
- "Des souris et des hommes", Belgique: toujours grande et belle, 1999, pp. 219-224.