Girard de Beaulieu

Who is Girard de Beaulieu?

Girard de Beaulieu, better known by the incorrectly recorded name Lambert de Beaulieu was a French bass singer and composer. He was employed at the court of Henri III as basse singer and composer from 1559. He was associated with the Académie de Baïf, one of whom's aristocratic poets, Nicolas Filleul de La Chesnaye, the king's almoner was to provide the lyrics for the ballet Circé in the first French opera-ballet, the Balet Comique de la Royne of 1581, to which Beaulieu and Jacques Salmon provided the music. Choreography, and overall direction was provided by the Italian dancing master Baltazarini, known as Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx. Sets and costumes were provided by Jacques Patin.

Beaulieu's wife was the Genoese soprano and luthenist Violante Doria. They had a daughter Claude de Beaulieu who later was paid as a luthenist at the court.

The original documents of 1581 indicate the composer only as "Sieur de Beaulieu."