François Lays, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

François Lays

French singer

Date of Birth: 14-Feb-1758

Place of Birth: La Barthe-de-Neste, Occitania, France

Date of Death: 10-Mar-1831

Profession: singer, opera singer, music pedagogue

Nationality: France

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

François Lay, better known under the stage name Lays (14 February 1758 – 30 March 1831), was a French baritone and tenor opera singer.
Originally destined for a career in the church, Lays was recruited by the Paris Opéra in 1779.
He soon became a leading member of the company, in spite of quarrels with the management.
Lays enthusiastically welcomed the French Revolution and became involved in politics with the encouragement of his friend Bertrand Barère.
Barère's downfall led to Lays being imprisoned briefly, but he soon won back the public and secured the patronage of Napoleon, at whose coronation and second wedding he sang.
This association with the Emperor caused him trouble when the Bourbon monarchy was restored and Lays's final years were darkened by disputes over his pension, mounting debts, the death of his only son and his wife's illness.
After a career spanning more than four decades, he died in poverty. Lays was famous for the beauty of his voice.
One of the Opéra's most popular artistes, he enjoyed his greatest success singing comic roles, such as Anacreon in Grétry's Anacréon chez Polycrate (1797) and the bailiff in Lebrun's Le rossignol (1816).