Le Rochois, Marthe
(1658–1728)> SINGER
Le Rochois, Marthe (1658, Caen; 20 October 1728, Paris), singer, was left an orphan as a small child, but her uncle provided for her and arranged for her to receive a solid education. She was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music at age 19 in 1677, and she impressed Lully so favorably that he did not hesitate to offer her a contract as a vocalist in his company. Mlle Le Rochois made her debut in 1680 as Aréthuse in Proserpine by Lully. Her voice and stage presence won her stardom…