Jules Barbier
Jules Barbier was a prominent 19th-century French lyricist (librettist) known for writing the words for operas and plays, most notably for Gounod's Faust and Roméo et Juliette, and Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. He frequently collaborated with composer Michel Carré in the first half of his career, and later worked with other composers such as Léo Delibes and Ambroise Thomas. Barbier adapted famous literary works by authors like Shakespeare and Goethe for the opera stage.
Key Works and Collaborations
With Michel Carré:
Faust (Charles Gounod)
Roméo et Juliette (Charles Gounod)
Mignon (Ambroise Thomas)
Later Works:
Sylvia (Léo Delibes)
The Tales of Hoffmann (Jacques Offenbach)
Other Notable Contributions:
Wrote the librettos for operas by composers including Gounod, Meyerbeer, Bizet, and Saint-Saëns.
His play Jeanne d'Arc inspired part of Tchaikovsky's The Maid of Orléans.
Career Highlights
He began by writing lighthearted comedies and short plays before becoming a renowned opera librettist.
Barbier and Carré found their greatest success as a duo, responsible for many well-known pieces on the French opera stage.
He was a prolific writer, working with many of the major French composers of his time and even his own son, Pierre Barbier, later in his career.
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