François George-Hainl

Who was François George-Hainl?

François George-Hainl, born Issoire 16 November 1807, died Paris 2 June 1873 was a French cellist and conductor.

His father who worked as both cobbler and amateur fiddler and gave him his first lessons. Hainl progressed so fast on the cello and worked so hard that he was soon able to join the orchestra of the Grand-Théâtre de Lyon. However, wishing to complete his studies he entered the Paris Conservatoire, and won a first prize in the 1830 competition. He undertook tours to France and Belgium; passing through Lyon he was offered a permanent post. He in due course became a member of the Lyon Academie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts, before being called on in 1863 to succeed Dietsch at the Paris Opera.

During the ten years he spent at the Opéra he mounted Le docteur Magnus, Roland à Roncevaux, L’Africaine, Don Carlos, La fiancée de Corinthe, Hamlet, Erostrate, La coupe du roi de Thulé and the adaptation of Faust for the Opéra, and the ballets La maschera, Néméa, Le roi d'Yvetot, La source, Coppélia and Gretna-Green.