| French composer, who established opera in
France. He was born in Florence, Italy, and went to France at age 14. There
he entered the service of Louis XIV in 1652 as a ballet dancer and violinist.
Lully later conducted one of the royal orchestras and in 1662 became music
master to the royal family. In collaboration with French playwright Molière,
Lully composed a series of comedy ballets including The Bores (1661), Le
mariage forcé (1665), and Le bourgeois gentilhomme (1670). In 1672
he became director of the Académie Royale de Musique. There he composed
operas including Persée (1682) and Acis et Galatée (1686).
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