Louis-Luc Loiseau de Persuis

Louis-Luc Loiseau de Persuis (4 July 1769 – 20 December 1819) was a French violinist, conductor, choirmaster, teacher, composer, and theatre director.

After commencing his studies of music in his hometown of Metz, Persuis moved to Paris in 1787, and entered the orchestra of the Opéra in 1793. His entire career was within this institution; he became choirmaster in 1803, then conductor in 1810, replacing Jean-Baptiste Rey. He simultaneously worked in administrative rôles, as manager, musical inspector-general (1816), stage manager (1817), then chief director from 3 September 1817 until 13 November 1819, on which date illness forced him to resign.

Persuis composed ballets, operas, and opéras comiques. His greatest success was Le triomphe de Trajan (1807), written in collaboration with Le Sueur. From 1810 to 1815, Persuis was the most performed composer at the Opéra, with 157 performances, largely due to Trajan. His opéras comiques found favour at the Théâtre Favart. He also adapted others' works, for example the oratorio Les Croisés (Die Befreyung von Jerusalem, 1813) by Maximilian Stadler.

Persuis taught singing at the Conservatoire de Paris until 1802. His name was proposed for a singing school at the Opéra, but the school was not established, although he continued to teach choristers informally.

He died in Paris.

Works for the stage

Title Genre Acts Libretto Premiere date VenueLa nuit espagnole opéra-comique unknown J. Fiévée 14 June 1791 Théâtre Feydeau Estelle opéra-comique 3 acts Villebrune 17 December 1793 Théâtre National Phanor et Angéla opéra-comique 3 acts Faur July 1798 Théâtre FeydeauLéonidas, ou Les spartiates (with Gresnick) opera unknown Pixérécourt 15 August 1799 Fanny Morna, ou L'écossaise drame-lyrique 3 acts E. Favières 22 August 1799 , Le fruit défendu opera 1 act E. Gosse 7 March 1800 Opéra-Comique, Marcel, ou L'héritier supposé opéra-comique 1 act Pixérécourt 12 February 1801 Opéra-Comique, L'inauguration du Temple de la victoire (with Le Sueur) tragédie-lyrique 1 act Baour-Lormain, Gardel (choreography) 2 January 1807 Opéra, Le retour d’Ulysse ballet 3 acts Milon (choreography) 24 February 1807 Opéra, Le triomphe de Trajan (with Le Sueur) tragédie-lyrique 3 acts J. Esménard, Gardel Milon (choreography) 4 April 1815 Opéra, L’heureux retour (with Berton and Kreutzer) opéra-ballet 1 act Milon (choreography) 25 July 1815 Opéra, Le carnaval de Venise, ou La constance à l'épreuve (with Kreutzer) ballet 2 acts Milon (choreography) 22 February 1816 Opéra, Les dieux rivaux, ou Les fêtes de Cythère (with Berton, Kreutzer, and Spontini) opéra-ballet 1 act M. Dieulafoy and C. Briffaut 21 June 1816 Opéra, Der Zauberschlaf (with A. Gyrowetz [Act 2]) ballet 2 acts Aumer (choreography) 16 January 1818 Vienna, Hoftheater