Françoise-Rose Gourgaud (7 April 1743, in

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

– 5 October 1804, in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

), stage name Madame Vestris, was a French actress. She was the sister of Pierre-Antoine Gourgaud, stage name Dugazon. She married the ballet-dancer

Angiolo Vestris Angiolo Maria Gasparo Vestris (19 November 1730, Florence – 10 June 1809, Paris) was a Franco-Italian ballet dancer. The younger brother of Gaétan Vestris and Thérèse Vestris, he studied dance with Louis Dupré and became a soloist of t ...

(younger brother of

Gaétan Vestris Gaetano Apolline Baldassarre Vestris (18 April 1729 – 23 September 1808), French ballet dancer, was born in Florence and made his debut at the opera in 1749. Life Born of an Italian theatrical family, he studied dance with Louis Dupré at th ...

). She was engaged at the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

in 1768. She became a

Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française The sociétaires of the Comédie-Française are chosen from among the ''pensionnaires'' who have been in the company a year or more. They are decided upon in the course of a general assembly of the company's administrative committee, made up of 6 e ...

in 1769. She is most known for her roles in tragedy and higher comedy. She was described as highly talented, but also as ambitiously ruthless, as she was involved in a well known rivalry with the Saint-Val sisters (

Blanche Alziari de Roquefort Blanche Alziari de Roquefort (1752–1836), stage name Mademoiselle Saint-Val cadette, was a French stage actress.Émile Campardon, Les Comédiens du roi de la troupe française pendant les deux derniers siècles, Paris, H. Champion, 1879 She wa ...

and

Pauline Alziari de Roquefort Pauline Alziari de Roquefort (1747–1830), stage name Mademoiselle Saint-Val aînée , was a French stage actress.Émile Campardon, Les Comédiens du roi de la troupe française pendant les deux derniers siècles, Paris, H. Champion, 1879 She was ...

). Her career was protected by the

Duc de Choiseul The House of Choiseul is a French noble family of chivalric extraction, first mentioned in 1060. Originally from Champagne, its cradle is the village of Choiseul (in the modern day Haute-Marne department). An illustrious house, its members hel ...

and the Duc de Duras. She achieved great success, and was a privileged member of the theatre. During the French Revolution, she joined the republican fraction in the Théâtre de la République in 1791. After this, she was engaged at the

Théâtre Feydeau The Théâtre Feydeau (), a former Parisian theatre company, was founded in 1789 with the patronage of Monsieur, Comte de Provence (later to become Louis XVIII), and was therefore initially named the Théâtre de Monsieur. It began performing in ...

until she was returned to the Comédie-Française when it was re-founded in 1799. She retired in 1803.

References

External links

"VESTRIS Françoise-Marie-Rosette Gourgaud, dite Mme"
Base La Grange, Comédie-Française * https://www.comedie-francaise.fr/en/artist/mme-vestris 1743 births 1804 deaths French stage actresses Actresses from Marseille 18th-century French actresses Vestris family {{France-stage-actor-stub