Madame de Pompadour
salon series
Join Opera Lafayette and Artistic Director Ryan Brown, for this two-part online Salon Series about Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, most commonly known as Madame de Pompadour, who was an incredibly influential member of the French court. She was the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745 to 1751, and remained a key advisor as a court favorite until her death in 1764. She is the inspiration for our 2023 musical season (get tickets) which is the second of three festivals dedicated to different periods of 18th century French music and opera. Each session of this Salon Series will feature a unique look into her life, led by different guest scholars and speakers.
All sessions $18 or $10/session
*There is a small fee associated with each ticket purchase.
THE CULTURAL AND MUSICAL INFLUENCE OF MADAME DE POMPADOUR WITH GUEST SPEAKER CALLUM BLACKMORE & GUEST ARTIST JACOB ASHWORTH
Monday, November 28th, 2022, 6PM EST - RECORDED SESSION ON DEMAND HERE
Callum Blackmore
Jacob Ashworth
Further explore the history and influence of Madame de Pompadour with historical musicology researcher, Callum Blackmore, and guest artist, Jacob Ashworth, who is the musical director of our first performance of the season, In the Salons of Versailles (tickets here.) Critics during that time were generally quite hostile and highlighted her as a malevolent political influence, but historians tend to be more favorable with emphasizing her successes as a patron of the arts and a champion of French pride. Not only did Pompadour support the arts as a patron, but she was also an active participator as well and was an acclaimed stage actress in performances hosted in her private theaters at Versailles and Bellevue.
PAST EVENTS
“BORN TO FILL THIS POSITION”: MADAME DE POMPADOUR AND THE TRADITION OF THE FRENCH ROYAL MISTRESS WITH THE GUEST SCHOLAR CHRISTINE ADAMS
Wednesday, November 16th, 2022, 6PM EST - RECORDED SESSION ON DEMAND HERE
This presentation will focus on how the institution of the powerful French royal mistress was unique in Europe as a recognized extra conjugal social position with the potential for significant political influence. A position that dates back to the 16th century, the royal mistress emerged as the king’s closest confidante and adviser, recognized by courtiers and foreign ambassadors as the surest conduit to the king’s favor. This tradition laid the groundwork for the rise of Madame de Pompadour in the mid-18th century; despite her bourgeois background, she became a skilled power broker at the court of Louis XV at Versailles as well as a valued patron of the arts. This talk will examine Madame de Pompadour’s rise as “official” royal mistress in the context of this striking feature of early modern French political culture.