author
Jules Massenet
1842–1912
Best known for the operas Manon and Werther, this French Romantic composer wrote music admired for its lyricism, color, and natural feel for the stage. He was one of the leading opera composers in France in the late 19th century, with more than thirty operas to his name.
2 Audiobooks
Mes souvenirs (1848-1912)
by Jules Massenet
My Recollections
by Jules Massenet
About the author
Born near Saint-Étienne in 1842, Jules Massenet studied at the Paris Conservatoire and went on to become one of the best-known French composers of his era. He built his reputation above all in opera, creating works that combine memorable melody with emotional directness and strong theatrical instinct.
His stage works include Manon, Werther, Thaïs, Cendrillon, and Don Quichotte. Although he also wrote ballets, orchestral music, songs, and other pieces, his fame rests mainly on the operatic style that made him so popular with audiences in his lifetime.
Massenet died in Paris in 1912, but his music has lasted well beyond his own time. Today, Manon and Werther remain especially popular, and his broader catalog continues to attract listeners who enjoy French Romantic music at its most elegant and expressive.