Def Leppard - Animal

In 1807, Jerome Bonaparte was declared king of Westphalia and set out to turn the capital of his kingdom, Kassel, into a reserve of fine arts. He wished to recruit the most brilliant artists to all three court troupes, opera, ballet and drama. Initially, Johann Friedrich Reichardt, known for his long-standing pro-French sympathies, received the position of bandmaster. Actually, because of them, in 1794 he was dismissed from a similar post at the Prussian court. Reichardt in 1808 turned 56 years old; he was a respected composer and well-known publicist, author of critical articles and travel essays. But not all contemporaries were delighted with his personality and character. Outwardly, Reichardt was very sociable and amiable, but he liked to get stuck in something that did not concern him, and then also to publish confidentially obtained information in print.