Eugène Goossens, père

Eugène Goossens (February 25, 1845 – December 30, 1906) was a Belgian conductor. He was born in Bruges and studied music as a child at the Church of Notre Dame, Bruges, then at the Bruges Conservatoire. At the age of fourteen, he was admitted to the conservatoire in Brussels, where he studied composition. He conducted opera companies throughout Europe, moving to England in 1873. There he conducted for the company of Selina Dolaro under the manage... more

Eugène Goossens (February 25, 1845 – December 30, 1906) was a Belgian conductor. He was born in Bruges and studied music as a child at the Church of Notre Dame, Bruges, then at the Bruges Conservatoire. At the age of fourteen, he was admitted to the conservatoire in Brussels, where he studied composition. He conducted opera companies throughout Europe, moving to England in 1873. There he conducted for the company of Selina Dolaro under the management of Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1876. In May 1878, for Carte, he conducted The Sorcerer by Gilbert and Sullivan and also conducted H.M.S. Pinafore in July and August 1878, while Alfred Cellier was assisting Arthur Sullivan at the promenade concerts at Covent Garden. He also conducted a "special operatic performance" of H.M.S. Pinafore at The Crystal Palace on July 6, 1878. Goossens became famous as a musical director of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, for whom he conducted the first English performance of Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser, in Liverpool... less