Leon Caron (1850-1905) was born in France. He studied music in Boulogne, then at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war moved to London where he was engaged as a violinist at the Alhambra Theatre. In 1871 he moved to America to join the Theodore Thomas orchestra. After the Thomas orchestra disbanded in 1876, Caron moved to Melbourne. His first appearance in Melbourne was as conductor at the Melbourne Opera House. He then accepted the position of conductor with the Lyster Grand Italian Opera Company. After his success at the Melbourne International Exhibition, Caron spent the 1880s managing his own company, the Caron Opera Company, which premiered many operas in English. In 1889 he joined the Royal Comic Opera Company, directing Gilbert & Sullivan for audiences in Melbourne and Sydney. He was contracted to Melbourne's premier theatre producers, J.C. Williams, in the late 19th century. He died in 1905 following a tour with Williams in New Zealand.

In addition to his work as a conductor, Caron published a substantial quantity of his own music, including an opera Victoria which was published by Allan & Novello in 1880.

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