Identity:

Charles Lamoureux was a violinist and conductor.

Life:

Lamoureux began his career studying the violin at the Paris Conservatoire but later became a conductor of celebrated performances of Handel's Messiah (in December 1873), and the St Matthew Passion, (in March and April 1874) which he produced single-handedly. From 1881, he conducted weekly concerts for the Société des Nouveaux-Concerts which were also highly successful. Lamoureux worked on a number of occasions in London; in 1881 he organised a festival of French music and in 1899 conducted with Sir Henry Wood at the Queen's Hall. He was a keen Wagnerian, producing Wagner's three-act opera Lohengrin (1850) at Bayreuth in 1887.

Bibliography:

Grove Music Online, http://www.grovemusic.com (accessed 21 July 2004).