BARON MICHEL

French actor. Served in the troupe Moliere, "Burgundy Hotel, Theater Comedy Frances. " Served in the role plays Moliere, J. Rasin, P. Corneille.

Michelle Baron was born on October 8th, 1653 in Paris and was the son of Andre and Jeanne Baron RAM, actors Burgundy hotel. His father died in 1655, and his mother - in 1662-m.

In France at that time there was a children′s troupe Comedianta Dauphin. Manage Mrs. Rezen, wife organist. Some time the troupe has played in the province, and then appeared in Paris. Mr Rezen invented the "magic" harpsichord that can play different pieces without touching a human hand. Demonstration of harpsichord at the palace ceased deplorable: the Queen fainted at the first sound of an instrument to tune up is another. The king ordered to open the tool, and here in front of ahnuvshih spectators removed from the harpsichord skorchivshegosya, tortured and extremely dirty boy, who played keyboard on the inside.

Boy, which is characterized by a rare beauty, called Michel Baron. He played in several productions at the Palais-Royal. It was found that thirteen-orphan Baron is unusual acting ability.

Playwright and actor Jean-Baptiste Moliere said all that, this is a future star of the French scene. He bought the Baron from Ms. Rezen and took him to his house to raise. It happened in 1666.

Moliere so strongly tied to the talented boy, that this has caused jealousy on the part of his young wife, Armando. Maître not simply to instruct in the fundamentals of acting Baron profession, he brought up, educated, monitored his health and morals. Moliere saw a boy′s rare abilities, and especially for his students wrote the role of Myrtha in heroic pastorals "Meliserta.

Actor Lagrange, annalist troupe King writes in the "Register": "On Wednesday, December 1 (1666), we went in SAINT GERMAIN EN LAYE on the orders of the King. The next day began ballet music, where the company was engaged in the pastorals under the title "Meliserta. " A little bit later to the same ballet music was added comedy "Sitsiliets. The company has returned from Saint-Germain 20 February, 1667.

In Meliserte "fascinating Michel Baron played the role of young Myrtha. You can imagine what feelings it arouses fine ladies! Moliere makes this recognition:

He did not age ponyatliv my Mirta,

And the Athenian, that he lived here two years,

His talents could not have been surprised.

It is a philosophy with him began

And so that successful that young student

Sometimes, and I began to get to an impasse.

But as he has tried elevations and subtly,

It is still much left of the child.

These words belong to Likarsisu and, as if by chance, it plays Moliere. Armando inherited role Meliserty. During rehearsals, it have a slight unpleasantness with the young Baron gave him to slap. Proud boy rushed to Moliere and categorically stated that he leaves the company. Jean Baptiste begged him to stay, but the Baron was on his, and the director barely managed to persuade him not to disrupt at least the Prime Minister and play Myrtha. The young actor has agreed to this, once played, and then had the courage to come to the King, Armando nazhalovatsya him and request permission to withdraw from molerovskoy company. The King he is allowed.

"Italian" defect was too extended at the court that Moliere does not blamed. Tired of caustic criticism of his wife and defiant behavior pupils, Moliere wrote "comic pastoral," which generally does not give them roles.

Baron leaves the teacher and left to the province, where he led a nomadic life, moving from one company to another. We need to think, he does not miss the case from time to time to remind about yourself. Moliere is sufficiently close to the King that His Majesty has signed a decree on the return of fugitives to Paris.

"A few days later, as the performances were resumed after the Easter break - writes Lagrange - Mr. de Moliere raised from Siero Baron, who returned to Paris after receiving a royal command, and joined the troupe for a full share. "

Michel seventeen years. Moliere loves it almost as a son. But the young man had already confident in their talents, to value it represents to the Company Palais-Royal. In the "Tite and Berenike" he assigned the role of Domitian. The collection of the premiere performance was liveried 1913 - unexpectedly high figure, which can be attributed to curiosity. But very soon the public is satisfied that the company firmly in the tragedy of the King does not stand up to comparison with the acting troupe of Burgundy hotel, despite the grace and talent of young Baron. "Tit and Berenika" will remain on the playbill before the Easter break in 1671, the play will be about twenty times, at least with Meshchaninov into the nobility. "

January 17, 1671 the premiere of "Psyche. " Baron, self-confident, the full flowering of his seventeen years old, played by the god Cupid. Moliere has a modest role Zephyr. Psyche played Armand. It is charming. Its traffic, overflow voice echoing Amuru - Baron. On this happy moment of Armand and Michel are perfect couple, they are too young to quit the role when the curtain falls.

Resounding success. He repeated at the presentation of January 19, arranged for the Apostolic Nuncio and the Ambassador of the Venetian Republic. All Paris speaks about the "Psyche" and strives to get it. "Gazeta de France praises" the grandeur of scenery, the charm of the plot, subtlety of musicians. "

Michelle Baron charmed all court beauties, Armand - all Marchesa. They are enamored of one another. Youth, warmth feelings whirl head and forcing them to forget what they have to Moliere. But Jean-Baptiste Armando treats infidelity as if quietly. He does not deprive the young Baron of their friendship. Of course, rumors about the history polzut Paris. In libel "Famous komediantka" given dirty, offensive to Moliere version of events. And the rest - all wonderful. Louis XIV spent his theater a fortune: more than two hundred thousand liveried, but not sorry about that. He is pleased with his actors, and expresses this by saying that increases his pension until 7000 liveried year.

In Molière plays "Scapa tricks" (1671), "Women Scientists" (1672), Baron has played the role of young lovers - Octave and Aristov. He felt from the very beginning and knew that realism molerovskogo style is good is not just for the comedy that he needed, and a tragic actor. While conceding that it is possible to respect the usual practice - smooth, measured gestures accompanying conditional melodious recitation, Baron nevertheless stated: "The rules prohibit raise your hands above your head, but if it raises a strong feeling - and it is necessary, or rather the passion of all the rules" ;. In the article written for the Encyclopedia "recitation" Marmontel both about the game of the Baron: "Deklamiruya or, more accurately, reading poetry, Baron was speaking, according to his own expression, as found offensive, even the word" rant ", he did not have any tone or a gesture or movement which is not prompted to nature.

Photo — «Baron Michel»

Sometimes they were even the usually-daily occurrence, but it is always true . . . He showed us the perfection of art - simplicity, combined with the nobility. "

In February 1673 Moliere, which plagued "chest infection", calling for help Armando and his favorite pupil Baron. It finds, in fact, already seriously ill person. Nevertheless, on 17 February Moliere still plays in the play "imaginary patient. " However, after the submission of Baron sent for porters, and helps the teacher get into a sedan and escort him to the streets of Richelieu. On the same evening was not a great playwright. The Baron goes to Saint-Germain to Louis XIV, to inform him of the death of the great Frenchman.

The theatrical season 1672/73 year, despite the death of Moliere, ends favorably. But such prosperity is deceptive. Cast Burgundy Hotel peremanivat to begin to imagine the members molerovskoy troupe. As a result, they are moving Baron, Latoriler and wife Boval.

Burgundy Hotel can be proud of this acquisition, as the Baron. U Michel, a rare combination of comedy and a tragic gift. A student of Moliere, he brings new developments in the tragedy. Aristocratic audience in raptures of his appearance and manners of the natural playing.

Baron played the role of Achilles ( "Ifigeniya in Avlide" Rasin, 1674), Ippolit ( "Fedra" Rasin, 1677) and others. At his wedding with Charlotte Lenoir in 1675 were witnessed and Jean Pierre Kornel Rasin.

By the time the King will bring together several companies in one - a future "Comedy Frances" (1680) - Baron has always been a prime minister. Speaking in the line of the tragic hero, he sought a tragic natural speech, broken monotonous measured Alexandrine subjects intonation thoughts, emotions. Baron stepped vital credibility of the tragic hero - listened carefully to the partner, reacted to his words, going to the scene immediately included in the action. True, being an actor klassitsistskogo theater, he kept idealization, exaggerated "noble" character, continued to use the conditional opulent costumes.

Baron quickly learned, and the style in relation to "the middle" style game, which willy-nilly evolved in the Royal Theater, forced constantly to the extent possible, lead to a "common denominator" in the beginning of the game different actors. He could rant and shout, like Monfleri, and in the same role, in the same scene all of a sudden go down to almost household words. Should be about thirty years to the manner of Baron was recognized beneficial for the theater as a system, not a single phenomenon.

April 29, 1685 case of serious trouble for the company. Actors go to Versailles to present the King of the novice, Mr de Roshmora. "detractors have had on this occasion such a bad service masters Baron and Rezenu that the King ordered to exclude them from the company - as it is said, for lack of respect to Her Highness the wife dauphin. The company was too important to keep all our communications were put in motion, all the possible ways of intercession tried. Finally, the second of May, they received a pardon. "

More about this incident is not known except that it will soon be followed for the output of "Orders of Her Majesty dauphin", dated April 3, 1685 and came into force after Easter. Its purpose - to put an end to various abuses among the actors. But in reality it is limited to independent companies and put it under the authority of the nobles, performing this year as the first gentleman in the courtyard.

Baron used favors the King, with great friends and conquered the hearts of noble ladies. He belonged to the third-class intellectual, who had hardly moved a relatively powerless compared with the noblemen. Baron wrote comedies, ridicule aristocratic manners ( "Lucky tape, 1686). Indomitable pride led him to answer the arrogant audacity velikosvetskih knights and ladies arrogance even more defiant. One very great personage took him at night in his bedchamber, but before it closed its doors the living room. Once, after a regular visit, Baron and nezvanno suddenly appeared at the regular admission to her mansion. "What you need here, Mr. Baron?" - arrogantly asked if all of the hostess. "I forgot you have a nightcap," - said the actor.

In 1692 the great tragedian, in the very zenith of success and glory, suddenly broke from the theater, left the scene. Why he did it, and it remains unclear. There version that he had sought the post of Director of the King "Comedy Frances, powerful acting team leader, who was a strange whim of the monarch was to provide a republic (though under the control of the royal chamberlain). The king refused, and the pride did not allow Baron to stay in the theater. According to another version, like Rasin, the actor experienced a spiritual crisis, wanted to reconcile with the church, to break with the sinful litsedeystvom.

One way or another, but the entire thirty years, Michael Baron lived far from the theater. However, in 1720 68-year-old actor zatoskoval on "komediantstvu, announced his return to the scene to the old line, the roles of heroes and lovers first. And its partners, and viewers were shocked: Baron phenomenal molodel on stage, he was the same Don Rodrigo, the same Tsinnoy, the same Horatio, Polievktom and Titus, Pirrom, Achilles, Britannica, Mithridates, which was the third of a century ago. In the repertoire of secondary to the literary point of view, but enjoying success with the public, he played brilliantly Earl of Essex in the play Thomas Corneille, Hannibal in tragedy with the same title Marivo young.

His partner became Adrienne Lecouvreur. Baron and a young actress struggling together for the emotional truth in the performance of tragedies. According to the words of one teatrovedov, "a decade of joint statements by the Baron and Lecouvreur resembled the outbreak of" high style "of agonizing in epigonskih works of tragedy. "

Charles Collet wrote in memoirs, "When I saw him, he was already seventy-two or seventy-five years, and, of course, could be forgiven that this man is not so rapidly turn passion as thirty actor, but he played with the mind, the dignity and nobility, which I saw only him. Particularly careful to refer it shades the role. In the tragedy of its naturalness is sometimes down to everyday reality, but never lost her greatness. At least it was excellent and the comedy I saw him play in the divine roles Misanthrope, Arnolfo and Simon in "Adrienne", a game it was in them so truthfully and naturally, he was forced to forget all the talent and bring the illusion to the fact that you began to take effect, what happened to you, this life. "

There is a portrait of the Baron in ash wig Misanthrope: it is a noble-looking man with a powerful expression, with sneering mouth, shows that it combines education and sensitivity, dignity and gentleness, - the word is "decent man" in the actor′s hypostasis.

Michelle Baron died Dec. 22, 1729 in Paris.