Alexandre Luigini
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Alexandre Clement Leon Joseph Luigini was born in Lyon in 1850, his grand-parents having moved there from Modena, Italy when his grandfather took up the post of trumpeter with the orchestra of the Grand-Theatre. Alexandre Luigini was brought up with music, his father also playing and later conducting the orchestra of the Grand-Theatre. After studying at the Conservatoire in Paris, Alexandre returned to Lyon and spent a great deal of time playing as a violinist in the theatre orchestra, which he went on to lead, becoming conductor in 1877. As resident conductor he was also expected to meet the compositional demands of the theatre, leading to a number of ballets, operas and orchestral suites.
In 1897 he left Lyon to take up the conductorship of the Opera Comique in Paris, and led a busy life until his sudden death in 1906.
His compositions reflect his stage-orchestra background, being mostly light music for ballet and theater productions (including two operas). He also composed a number of songs and works for string quartet and other chamber groups.
Luigini's Ballet Egyptien (1875) is his best known work, gaining great popularity in the early 20th century as a concert suite. It originally gained prominence when it was included in the second act of Verdi's Aida for a performance in Lyon in 1886.