Jean BaptisteÉdouard Louis Camille Du Puy was a Swiss-born singer, composer, director, and violinist. He lived and worked in Copenhagen and Stockholm from 1793 until his death in 1822.
Still in his early twenties, in 1793 Du Puy traveled throughout the Holy Roman Empire, Poland and Sweden as a violinist. While in Stockholm, he was appointed to the royal chapel, and later also as an opera singer at the Royal Swedish Opera. During this period, he also had an affair with Sophie Hagman In 1799, he fell out of favor with king Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden by praising Napoleon. Du Puy was banished from Sweden, and traveled to Copenhagen. In the beginning, Du Puy made his living by tutoring in music, and gave a concert at the Royal Danish Theatre on March 29, 1800, playing among other things a concerto for violin that he himself had composed. After this, he was quickly made concertmaster at the royal chapel, and in 1802, opera singer. Du Puy was a very successful opera singer, e.g. starring as Don Giovanni in Mozart's opera. Meanwhile, he still performed elsewhere both as a singer, violinist and director. His compositions were popular, especially the singspielYouth and Folly, and a number of songs written for various plays. Among his other activities, Du Puy was one of the directors of the most esteemed social clubs in Copenhagen at the time called The Harmony. In 1801, he joined the voluntary royal guard, and was made lieutenant in 1807 during the Battle of Copenhagen against the British during the Napoleonic Wars. As lieutenant, Du Puy could no longer perform on stage, but continued as concertmaster, violinist and giving singing lessons.
Banishment and return to Sweden
Du Puy had fathered a child during his time in Rheinsberg, but when he came to Copenhagen, he married Anna Louise Frederikke Müller in 1803, and had several affairs. He allegedly also had an affair with PrincessCharlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was married to Crown PrinceChristian VIII, and mother of King Frederick VII of Denmark. Prince Christian divorced his wife and sent her into internal exile in Horsens, while Du Puy was banished from Denmark. Although Du Puy applied for amnesty, it was of no use, and he left his family and traveled to Stockholm, where king Gustav IV Adolf had been deposed by a coup. In 1812, Du Puy was reinstated at the opera both as actor and Kapellmeister. Among other roles, he played Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart. By 1795, Du Puy was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and became titular professor in 1814.
Death and legacy
Du Puy died in his fifties, on 3 April 1822, while in Sweden. He was buried in the Johannes cemetery in Stockholm, where the Royal Swedish Academy of Music raised a monument in his honor in 1866. At his funeral, Mozart's Requiem was performed in Sweden for the first time. As a violinist, Du Puy had a virtuous style, with a firm intonation and sense of music. His voice was a light baritone, but he could also sing as a tenor, bass or even falsetto. He was also an acclaimed director and Kapellmeister. The Swedish Royal Chapel was one of Europe's best orchestras at the time, and Du Puy is mentioned as one of its best Kapellmeisters. His compositions are light, melodious and lively. Choreographer for the Royal Danish Ballet, August Bournonville, made the balletLivjægerne på Amager in 1871 in Du Puy's honor, about his life and using some of his compositions
