Levée (ceremony)

The Lever (French lever up = ) designated one taking place in the bedroom levee in circles of the nobility. The evening contrary, a reception before the bed rest, was ( French coucher to sleep =) as referred Coucher. Special importance came to the ceremonies of the lever and coucher during the period of absolutism in the 17th and 18th centuries. Access to the first and last audience of the day was usually granted only to a select group of people who held in the intimate appearing bedrooms receptions were for the participants as a privilege and played a significant role in the court society of that time.

As a role model for many European royal courts was especially the ceremony at the court of Versailles.

In the arts

An example of a lever can be found in the opera Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.