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 (younger brother of
Gaétan Vestris).
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 and
Pauline Alziari de Roquefort). Her career was protected by the
Duc de Choiseul 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
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