Edmond Rostand

Born in Marseille on April 1, 1868, Edmond Rostand became one of France’s most celebrated playwrights. He studied in Paris and found early success in the theater, but his reputation was sealed in 1897 with Cyrano de Bergerac, the play that remains his best-known work.

Rostand wrote in a rich, lyrical style at a time when Romantic drama was no longer the norm, and that gave his plays a distinctive voice. He also wrote L’Aiglon and was elected to the Académie française while still relatively young, a sign of how widely admired he had become.

He died in Paris on December 2, 1918. More than a century later, he is still remembered for combining humor, emotion, elegance, and grand theatrical spirit in a way that made classic French drama feel exciting and alive.