Hasselmans, Louis

Louis Hasselmans was the son of the Belgian harpist Alphonse Hasselmans and the grandson of Joseph Hasselmans. He received his musical education at the Paris Conservatoire where he studied cello, composition, and conducting. He toured Europe as cellist with the Capet Quartet (1893-1909) and had his debut as a conductor with the Lamoureaux Orchestra in Paris, 1905. His conducting career began in 1909 and included seasons with the Opera Comique in Paris (1909-1911), in Montreal, Canada (1911-1913), with the Chicago Civic Opera (1918-1920), and the Metropolitan Opera as its director of French repertory (1921-1936). Hasselmans was a professor of music at Louisiana State University (1936-1948). He was married to Minnie Egener. He died in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1957.

Joseph Hasselmans, born in Antwerp, was a conductor, a violinist, and harpist whose teachings gave rise to two major schools of harp playing (one through his son, Alphonse). He conducted the Strasbourg Theatre Orchestra and at the Strasbourg Conservatory and was involved with the Grand Theatre of Marseilles.