author
Jean Nicolas Bouilly
1763–1842
A lively figure of Revolutionary France, this writer moved easily between the worlds of theater, politics, and children's literature. He is remembered especially for dramatic stories that later reached even wider audiences through opera.
2 Audiobooks
Contes à mes petites amies
by Jean Nicolas Bouilly
Léonore, ou l'amour conjugal fait historique en deux actes et en prose mêlée de chantes
by Jean Nicolas Bouilly
About the author
Born on January 24, 1763, near Tours in France, Jean-Nicolas Bouilly became a playwright, librettist, children's writer, and political figure during the French Revolution. He briefly worked in law, then entered public life in the revolutionary period before turning more fully toward literature.
Bouilly wrote for the stage with a gift for strong plots and emotional tension. He is best known for the libretto Léonore, ou l’amour conjugal, a rescue story that later became the basis for Beethoven's Fidelio. He also wrote the text for Cherubini's Les deux journées, another work that helped secure his reputation beyond France.
Alongside his theatrical writing, Bouilly produced moral tales and works for younger readers, showing a lighter and more didactic side. He died in Paris on April 14, 1842, leaving behind a career that connected French literature, opera, and the cultural life of his era.