Théodore Labarre

Labarre was the foster-brother of Napoleon III who all studied the harp with Bochsa, Cousineau and Nadermann. During his musical research he also discovered tranquility from Dourlens, structure from Boieldieu and counterpoint from Eler and Fetis. In the Prix de Rome of 1813, Labarre had taken second place for his cantata “Pyramus et Thisbe” and was luckily enough to tour Britain, Italy and Switzerland. Nearly all his compositions cntered over the opera and ballet after he found its way to France (1831). Being a harpist he also constructed romances for the harp. (“La pauvre negresse” became extremely popular.) Between 1847 and 1849 Labarre was the conductor for the French comic opera, movie director from the imperial chapel (1852) and harp teacher on the Conservatoire after Prumier. He was awared the Legion of Honor in 1862.