Béjart family
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Who were the Béjart family?
The B\u00e9jart family was a French theatrical family in the 17th century, closely linked to the playwright Molière. Siblings Joseph, Madeleine, Geneviève, Armande, and Louis were members of the family.
Key members:
* Joseph B\u00e9jart was a strolling player and member of Molière’s company, creating roles in L’Étourdi and Le Dépit amoureux.
* Louis B\u00e9jart also performed in Molière’s plays, including Le Misanthrope and Le Mariage forcé.
* Madeleine B\u00e9jart led the traveling company and was known for her acting, especially in soubrette roles written for her by Molière.
* Armande B\u00e9jart (possibly Madeleine's daughter) married Molière and starred in his productions, such as Le Misanthrope and Le Malade imaginaire. After Molière’s death, she helped form the Comédie-Française.Another notable member of the B\u00e9jart family is Maurice Béjart, a French-born dancer, choreographer, and opera director.
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What was the main profession of the Béjart family?
The B\u00e9jart family was a French theatrical family in the 17th century, closely linked to the playwright Molière.
Key members and their roles:
- Joseph B\u00e9jart: A strolling player and member of Molière’s company, creating roles in L’Étourdi and Le Dépit amoureux.
- Louis B\u00e9jart: Also in Molière’s company, he played parts in Le Dépit amoureux, Le Misanthrope, Le Mariage forcé, and Dom Juan.
- Madeleine B\u00e9jart: Led the traveling company and was a talented actress, especially in soubrette roles written for her by Molière, such as in Les Précieuses ridicules, L’École des maris, and Tartuffe.
- Armande B\u00e9jart: Married Molière and performed in his plays, including La Critique de l’école des femmes, Le Misanthrope, and Le Malade imaginaire. After Molière’s death, she merged her company to form the Comédie-Française.
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In which country did the Béjart family become famous?
The B\u00e9jart family, a French theatrical family of the 17th century, is closely associated with the playwright Molière. The family became famous in France, with multiple members joining Molière's company, the Illustre-Théâtre. Madeleine B\u00e9jart was a leading actress, and Armande B\u00e9jart married Molière and also achieved fame as an actress. After Molière's death, Armande played a role in establishing the Comédie-Française, further cementing the family's legacy in French theater.
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How did the Béjart family contribute to French theater?
The Béjart family was a French theatrical family of the 17th century that had close ties to Molière. Key members such as brothers Joseph and Louis, and sisters Madeleine, Geneviève, and Armande, significantly contributed to French theater.
Madeleine was the head of the traveling company, an excellent actress known for soubrette roles, and remained with Molière until her death. Molière wrote several parts for her, including Marotte in Les Précieuses ridicules, Lisette in L’École des maris, and Dorine in Tartuffe.
Armande, who married Molière in 1662, also made considerable contributions, excelling in roles such as Célimène in Le Misanthrope and Angélique in Le Malade imaginaire. After Molière’s death, Armande combined her company with players from the Théâtre du Marais, eventually forming the Comédie-Française.
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Which famous playwright did members of the Béjart family work closely with?
The Bèjart family, a French theatrical family from the 17th century, is known for its close association with the playwright Molière.
Madeleine Bèjart, an actress and theatrical manager, is reputed to have persuaded Molière to dedicate himself to the theatre. Together, they established the acting company, the Illustre-Théâtre. Other members of the Bèjart family, Joseph and Louis, were also part of Molière's company. Molière wrote several soubrette roles specifically for Madeleine, including Marotte in Les Précieuses ridicules, Lisette in L’École des maris, and Dorine in Tartuffe. Later, Molière married Armande Bèjart, who also took part in Molière's plays.
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What roles did individual Béjart family members play in the development of early French theater?
The Béjart family was a 17th-century French theatrical family closely linked to Molière.
Key members and their contributions:
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Joseph Béjart A member of Molière’s first company, the Illustre-Théâtre, Joseph played roles in Molière's L’Étourdi and Le Dépit amoureux.
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Louis Béjart Also in Molière’s company, Louis originated roles such as Valère in Le Dépit amoureux, Dubois in Le Misanthrope, and Don Luis in Dom Juan.
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Madeleine Béjart Led the traveling company that preceded the Illustre-Théâtre. She remained with Molière until her death and played Marotte, Lisette, and Dorine in Molière's plays.
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Armande Béjart Molière’s wife, Armande, joined the company in 1653 and played Élise, Célimène, Angélique, Elmire, and Lucile in various plays. After Molière’s death, she merged her company with others to form the Comédie-Française.
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Béjart family, French theatrical family of the 17th century closely associated with the playwright Molière. Its members include the brothers and sisters Joseph, Madeleine, Geneviève, Armande, and Louis.
Joseph Béjart (c. 1616–59) was a strolling player and later a member of Molière’s first company (the Illustre-Théâtre). Joseph accompanied Molière in his theatrical wanderings and was with him when he returned permanently to Paris. Joseph died soon after. He created the parts of Lélie in L’Étourdi (1653; The Blunderer) and Éraste in Le Dépit amoureux (1654; The Amorous Quarrel).
His brother Louis Béjart (1630–78) was also in Molière’s company during the last years of its travels and created many parts in Molière’s plays—Valère in Le Dépit amoureux, Dubois in Le Misanthrope (1666), Alcantor in Le Mariage forcé (1664; The Forced Marriage), and Don Luis in Dom Juan; ou, le festin de Pierre (1665; Don John; or, The Libertine). He was lamed in a brawl and retired with a pension in 1670.
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The more famous members of the family were two sisters: Madeleine Béjart (1618–72) was at the head of the traveling company to which her sister Geneviève Béjart (1624–75), who played under her mother’s name (Hervé), and her brothers belonged before they joined Molière in forming the Illustre-Théâtre (1643). Madeleine remained with Molière until her death. She was an excellent actress, particularly in soubrette parts, a number of which Molière wrote for her. Among her creations were Marotte in Les Précieuses ridicules (1659; The Affected Young Ladies), Lisette in L’École des maris (1661; The School for Husbands), and Dorine in Tartuffe (1664–69).
In 1662 Molière, then age 40, married Madeleine’s sister, or possibly daughter, Armande Béjart (1642?–1700), who seems to have first joined the company at Lyon in 1653. Neither was happy; the wife was a flirt, the husband jealous. They separated after the birth of a daughter in 1665 and met only at the theatre until 1671, when they were reconciled. Her portrait is given in Act iii, scene 9 of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1670; The Bourgeois Gentleman). Armande’s first appearance on the stage was in 1663, as Élise in La Critique de l’école des femmes (School for Wives). She was out of the cast for a short time in 1664, when she bore Molière a son, but in the spring she started her long list of important roles. She was at her best as Célimène in Le Misanthrope and hardly less admirable as Angélique in Le Malade imaginaire (1674; The Imaginary Invalid). She was Elmire in the first performance of Tartuffe and was Lucile in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.
After Molière’s death Armande leased the Théâtre Guénégaud, Paris, and by royal ordinance the residue of her company was combined with the players from the failing Théâtre du Marais. The combination, known as the Troupe du Roi, at first was unfortunate, but in 1679 they secured the services of Marie Champmeslé, one of the leading tragediennes of her time, and absorbed the company of the Théâtre de l’Hôtel de Bourgogne, in Paris. The combined company became the Comédie-Française. In 1677 Armande married the actor Isaac-François Guérin d’Estriché. She retired in 1694.