Edmond Rostand

Born in Marseille on April 1, 1868, Edmond Rostand became one of France's most admired playwrights and poets. He wrote at a time when naturalism was popular in the theater, but his own style leaned toward poetic language, bold emotion, and a revived romantic spirit.

His greatest success came with Cyrano de Bergerac in 1897, a play that quickly made him famous and remains his best-known work. He also wrote Les Romanesques, later adapted into The Fantasticks, and L'Aiglon, another major stage success.

Rostand was elected to the Académie française while still relatively young, a sign of how highly his writing was valued in his lifetime. He died in Paris on December 2, 1918, but his reputation has endured through the charm, energy, and eloquence of his plays.