author
Jules Barbier
1825–1901
A French poet, playwright, and librettist, he helped shape some of the best-loved works in 19th-century French opera. He is especially remembered for his collaborations with Michel Carré and for librettos that brought literary stories vividly to the stage.
1 Audiobook
Faust: A Lyric Drama in Five Acts
by Charles Gounod, Jules Barbier, Michel Carré
About the author
Born in Paris on March 8, 1825, Jules Barbier became known as a poet, writer, and opera librettist at a time when French musical theater was flourishing. He wrote for the stage with a strong literary touch, and his name is closely tied to the world of Parisian opera in the second half of the 19th century.
Barbier often worked with Michel Carré, and together they created or adapted librettos for major composers including Charles Gounod and Jacques Offenbach. His best-known work includes contributions to Faust, Roméo et Juliette, and The Tales of Hoffmann, showing a gift for turning dramatic and fantastical stories into effective, singable theater.
He continued writing late into his career and remained an important figure in French musical life until his death in Paris on January 16, 1901. Today, he is remembered less as a public celebrity than as one of the key literary craftsmen behind some of opera's most enduring works.