Michel Carré

Born in 1819, Michel Carré was a French writer for the theater whose work moved easily between plays and opera librettos. He wrote for the lively Paris stage of the mid-19th century, often shaping dramatic, emotional stories that composers could turn into memorable music.

Carré is best known for his role in creating the libretto for Charles Gounod’s Faust, adapted from an earlier stage work he had written with Jules Barbier. He also worked with Barbier on the play that later became the basis for Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, linking his name to two of the best-known operas in the French repertory.

He died in 1872, but his influence lasted well beyond his lifetime. Even listeners who have never heard his name have likely met his work through the operas and dramatic stories that continue to be performed around the world.