Louis Gaulard Dumesny

Dumesnil (also known as Louis Gaulard Dumesny) (fl. 1677-1700 – 1702) was a French operatic tenor. His surname is sometimes found spelt Duménil, Dumény, du Mény, or Du Mesny.

Little is known about Dumesnil's early life; legend has it that he was working as a cook when Jean-Baptiste Lully heard him singing and was impressed by his natural and well focused voice, his vocal range was then known as haute-contre.

He made his stage debut in 1677, singing a small part in Isis, and then went on creating all roles within his range in a series of operas by Lully. After Lully's death he created several other roles in operas by different composers, notably Pascal Collasse, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, André Campra, and André Cardinal Destouches.

An excellent actor with a powerful voice, he seemed to have learned all his roles by memory as he did not know how to read music. Reputed as a libertine, and for his dispute with La Maupin.

Roles created 1682: The title role in Persée by Lully 1684: The title role in Amadis by Lully 1686: Renaud in Armide by Lully 1686; Acis in Acis et Galatée by Lully 1687: Achille in Achille et Polyxène by Lully and Collasse 1689: Pélée in Thétis et Pélée by Collasse 1690: Énée in Énée et Lavinie by Collasse 1693: Énée in Didon by Henri Desmarets 1693: Jason in Médée by Marc-Antoine Charpentier 1697: Octavio in L'Europe galante by André Campra 1697: Philémon in Issé by Destouches 1697: Adonis in Vénus et Adonis by Henri Desmarets 1699: in Amadis de Grèce by Destouches