Charles Baudelaire, His Life

A richly textured portrait opens with Théophile Gautier’s first encounter with a young, almost unknown Charles Baudr — a striking figure whose black hair, tobacco‑colored eyes, and meticulously dandy attire set him apart from the bohemian crowd of mid‑nineteenth‑century Paris. Gautier’s vivid description captures not only Baudr’s physical presence but also the electric aura of a poet already stirring curiosity among fellow artists and writers.

Beyond this intimate portrait, the work weaves together selections from Baudr’s own verses, tender letters to Sainte‑Beuve and Flaubert, and a reflective essay on his lasting influence. Listeners will hear the early stirrings of the poet who would later shape modern literature, set against the backdrop of salons, secret staircases, and the artistic fervor of the era, offering a compelling glimpse into the man behind “The Flowers of Evil.