Holmès, Augusta |
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BORN 16 Dec 1847, Paris - DIED 28 Jan 1903, Paris BIRTH NAME Holmes, Augusta Mary-Anne GRAVE LOCATION Versailles, Yvelines: Cimetière St.-Louis, 8, Rue Monseigneur-Gibier (H - NORD - 1D - 5) |
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Augusta Holmes was the daughter of British parents who had settled in France. Her father was the Irishman Charles William Scott Dalkeith Holmes (1797-1869) and her mother was Tryphina Anna Constance Augusta Shearer (1811-1898). Augusta was not allowed to study at the Conservatory in Paris. She took private music lessons with the local pianist Mademoiselle Peyronnet and with organist Henri Lambert and Hyacinthe Klosé. Her first compositions where published under the name of Hermann Zenta. She was able to show some of her early work to Franz Liszt. Around 1869 she became the lover of Catulle Mendès, who had married to Judith Gautier but had separated from her not much later. In 1870 Augusta and Mendes visited Richard Wagner in Bayreuth and from that time he promoted Wagner's work in Paris. She became a French citizen in 1871. In 1876 César Franck became her teacher. She had four daughters and a son with Mendes, but in 1885 their affair ended. In 1889 she was commissioned to create a composition for the Wold Exhibition in Paris. This was the "Ode Triomphale" that was performed on 11, 12 and 14 September. After Franck died in 1891 she led the group of his students that commissioned a medaillon by Rodin for his tomb. In 1895 her opera "La Montagne Noire" was first performed but it was no success. She became a supporter of Paul Déroulède in 1899. In 1901 she adopted the Catholic faith and she changed her first name to Patricia. She died in 1903 in Paris. Related persons • was pupil of Franck, César • had grave monument executed by Maillard, Auguste • was the lover of Mendès, Catulle • was a friend of Saint-Saëns, Camille • admired Wagner, Richard |
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 The grave of Augusta Holmès at the Cimetière Saint-Louis, Versailles. Picture by Androom (19 Feb 2016) |
