🎧 Chevalier: France's Revolutionary Black Maestro
Archive of Dan Snow's History Hit 🎧
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19m
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges is perhaps the most accomplished classical musician that you've never heard of. A composer, soldier and champion fencer, this episode traces his life from the French colony of Guadeloupe to the concert halls of Paris and the battlefields of the French Revolution.
So how did a man of mixed heritage overcome the prejudices of the day? And what was the significance of his achievements at the time? Dan is joined by Stephen Williams, director of the acclaimed 2023 biographical drama Chevalier, to talk about his life and the importance of remembering it.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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