Hanssens, Charles-Liévin [aîné]

Evy De Smedt (translation: Joris Duytschaever)

Charles-Liévin-Joseph Hanssens chose just like his older brother Joseph-Jean a musical career. His first violin instruction was imparted by Wauthier and his initiation to composition he owed to Verheym. Hanssens moved to Paris for one year to study harmony with Henri-Montan Berton. Subsequently he returned to his native Ghent with a view to completing his studies with his brother Joseph-Jean and with the violinist Ambroise Femy.

Hanssens started a career as conductor in 1802, at the ‘Théâtre de Rhétorique’ in Ghent. However, he left this amateur theatre soon, conducting instead at the French society ‘Mademoiselle Fleury’, which organized concerts in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. In 1804 Hanssens became conductor of the Antwerp Theatre, returning however in the same year to the ‘Théâtre de Rhétorique’ in Ghent, where he was to conduct till 1825. That year he succeeded Charles Borremans as conductor of the orchestra at the Monnaie Opera in Brussels.

King William I of the Netherlands appointed Hanssens in 1827 as conductor of his court orchestra. A year later he was appointed by William I as inspector of the Royal School of Music in Brussels, the later Conservatoire. After the Belgian revolution Hanssens was arrested on suspicion of political subversion (he interceded a couple of times on behalf of William I), and banned from the Monnaie. In 1835 the Monnaie appointed him again as conductor, firing him once more in 1938. In 1840 he returned for a third time to the Monnaie, investing in this opera house to boot. However, this investment failed to deliver the expected return, and Hanssens was doomed to spend his last years in poverty.

Hanssens wrote four operas, Alcibiade, La partie de trictrac ou la belle-mère, Les dots and Le solitaire de Formentera. Besides he also wrote some religious works: six masses, six motets, and a cantata.