Mezeray, Louis Charles Lazare Costard de

1810-1887

Barytone singer, conductor, and dramatic composer; born in Brunswick. When fifteen years old he became second leader of the orchestra at the Strasburg Theatre, studying under Talliez and Wachenthal. At seventeen he became leader of the Liege Theatre, also conducting the Conservatory concerts and the Concerts Gretry. In 1830 he was made conductor at the Royal Theatre at The Hague, but in 1833 he went to Paris, where he studied counterpoint and fugue under Reicha. He was orchestra conductor at Ghent, Rouen and Marseilles before becoming conductor at the Grand Theatre at Bordeaux in 1843, a position which he filled successfully for thirty years. Previous to his accepting the conductorship at Bordeaux he had sung barytone at Montpelier, Antwerp and Nantes. In 1843 he founded the St. Cecilia Society. Two of his operas are Guillaume de Nassau; and Le Sicilien ou 1'amour peintre.