Scandalous Overtures
Jean-Baptiste Lully: The Gnarly Demise of a Nasty Man
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Lully was the first important composer of French-language opera, and was a close friend and confidant to King Louis XIV of France. Yet for all of his fame and power, Lully is almost entirely unknown today. In 1672, the 39 year old Lully was granted a royal monopoly for the composition and performance of all opera in France, a monopoly he used to crush his competition. On January 8, 1687, Lully was conducting a song of praise in honor of the king. In a moment of poor aim, Lully decimated his toe with a five foot-long conducting staff. He refused treatment for the gangrene that developed on his foot, letting it spread and leading to his death on March 22, 1687.