Piccinni, Louis Alexandre

1779-1850

Son of Giuseppe Piccinni, eldest son of Nicola. Born and died at Paris. Studied piano under Hausmann and composition from Lesueur and his grandfather, and was accompanist at the Theatre Feydeau, and from 1802 at the Opera. From 1803 to 1816 he was conductor of the Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin. From  1804 to 1818 he was accompanist to the court. He taught singing and piano at Paris until 1836, when he removed to Boulogne to teach and direct the Conservatory. He gave up this appointment to go to Strasburg, and during his residence there directed the Baden-Baden concerts, but returned finally to Paris in 1849. He wrote melodramas: Romulus, and Robinson Crusoe; ballets; vaudeville airs; cantatas; romances; sonatas; and piano-music; besides numerous operas, notably, L'amoureux par surprise, Avis au public, Us sont chez eux, La maison en loterie, Le petite lampe merv eilleuse, Alcibiade solitaire, and Le prise de Jericho.