Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Begrez, Pierre-ignace

Begrez, Pierre-ignace, was born at Namur, in Belgium, in 1787. At the age of six years he was entered as a chorister in the cathedral church of St. Aubain, where the beauty of his voice was much admired. A few years afterwards, he quitted the Netherlands for Paris, where he was received as a violin pupil at the Conservatory of Music. After this time, he was, during several years, employed in the orchestra, at the Italian Opera at Paris, which was under the direction of the celebrated Grass et. He then quitted the violin, his voice having settled into a fine tenor, and devoted himself entirely to the study of singing, under the first masters then at Paris ; so that, in the year 1814, he gained the first prize for singing at the Conservatory. In 1815, he made his debut at the Grand Opera, and obtained the greatest success in the principal parts of the several operas, "Armide," "Les Bayaderes," and "Anacreon." He still, however, although he received much encouragement, felt that his studies had formed him rather for the Italian than the French school of singing; he consequently decided to take the earliest opportunity of quitting the French opera establishment, and travelling in Italy. At the close of the year 1815, Begrez went to England as first tenor at the King's Theatre, to which establishment he remained attached till the end of the season of 1821 ; since which time he quitted the stage, and confined himself to concert singing and tuition.