Alexandre Luigini

Alexandre Clément Léon Joseph Luigini (9 March 1850 – 29 July 1906) was a French composer and conductor, especially active in the opera house.

After studying at the Conservatoire in Paris where he gained a second prize for violin, Luigini returned to Lyon and from 1872 played as a violinist in the theatre orchestra, which he went on to lead, becoming conductor in 1877.

[1] As resident conductor he was also expected to meet the compositional demands of the theatre, leading to a number of ballets, operas and orchestral suites.

Paris premieres conducted by Luigini included Chérubin, Hélène, Le jongleur de Notre-Dame and the first staging of Marie-Madeleine.

His compositions reflect his stage-orchestra background, being mostly light music for ballet and operas: Ange et démon, Le Rêve de Nicette, Les Caprices de Margot (one-act opéra comique, Lyon, 1877), Reine des fleurs, Fleurs et papillons, Les Écharpes, Le Meunier, Arlequin écolier, Faublas (three-act operetta, Théâtre Cluny, Paris, 1881).