Narcisse Girard (1797–1860), violinist and conductor

1^st image: Soirée; 2^nd: engraving after early daguerreotype (1846); 3^rd: photo by Massart (1860).

Narcisse Girard was a revered musician. He studied at the conservatories in Naples and Paris, earning first prize in violin in 1820.
Known for his precise and seemingly effortless playing —though sometimes deemed “cold” by critics— Girard possessed deep technical expertise on the violin, including its possibilities and limitations. This mastery led him to become a professor at the Paris Conservatoire, where he advised numerous composers writing for the instrument.
In 1827, he began conducting at the Odéon, and by 1829, he was leading performances at the Théâtre Italien in Paris, conducting works by his friend Berlioz as well as by Liszt^50b. Although the conducting technique of the young an inexperienced Girard was considered unremarkable, he refined his style in the 1840s, eventually securing the prestigious position of chef d’orchestre at both the Paris Opera and the Conservatoire.

One of his most famous moments as a conductor was leading Mozart’s Requiem at Chopin’s funeral in 1849, an event attended by an astonishing three thousand mourners.

On January 16, 1860, Girard insisted on conducting the 290th performance of Meyerbeer’s⁷⁶ Les Huguenots (video) to support the Paris debut of young soprano Mlle Marie Brunet (Mlle Brunetti) in the leading role of Valentine. She had previously earned acclaim for this role in Marseille, which led to her engagement with the Paris Opera.
Marie Brunet had studied under Duprez^21a, Pasdeloup¹², and Roger^04a, but struggled with the demanding duet between Valentine and Marcel during Act III.

At that pivotal moment, Girard collapsed at his desk from a heart attack. Composer Auber⁵⁶, usually too shy to conduct an orchestra, stepped in to finish conducting the performance. Traumatized by the incident, Mlle Brunet never sang Les Huguenots again.

Note: This person holding a violin significantly limits possible identifications. A newly discovered article does not include Girard but offers no compelling alternative. For now, Girard remains the strongest and most professionally fitting candidate.