Madame Dugazon

Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre, aka Madame Dugazon (1755-1821), was a French actress, dancer and singer.

Born in Berlin as the daughter of a dance master at the court of Frederick II of Prussia, she returned to Paris with her parents in 1765.

She became a star of the Comédie Italienne (which became the Opéra Comique), where she created over 30 roles. She was married to the actor Jean-Henry Gourgaud, who went by the stage name Dugazon. The couple was only briefly together.

Madame Dugazon gave her name to a type of role (young mothers, soubrettes, village girls) and a type of voice (a light mezzo soprano or a dark-colored soprano leggero).