author
Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
1732–1799
Best known for The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, this lively French playwright turned wit, scandal, and social satire into some of the stage’s most enduring comedies. His life was nearly as dramatic as his work: he was also a watchmaker, courtier, businessman, and political go-between.
5 Audiobooks
The Follies of a Day; or, The Marriage of Figaro A comedy, as it is now performing at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. From the French of M. de Beaumarchais
by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
L'autre Tartuffe, ou La mère coupable
by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
Sevillan parturi eli Turha varovaisuus: Komedia neljässä näytöksessä
by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
Le barbier de Séville; ou, la précaution inutile
by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
La Folle Journée ou le Mariage de Figaro
by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
About the author
Born in Paris on January 24, 1732, Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais first trained in his father’s trade as a watchmaker. His skill and ambition helped him move far beyond the workshop, and over time he became known not only as a writer but also as a musician, businessman, and man of affairs connected to court and politics.
He is remembered above all for the Figaro plays, especially The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784). These comedies are fast, funny, and sharp-eyed about class, privilege, and human scheming, which is a big reason they have lasted so well. The Marriage of Figaro in particular became famous for its bold social edge and later inspired one of Mozart’s best-known operas.
Beaumarchais died in Paris on May 18, 1799, but his reputation has endured as one of the great comic playwrights of the Enlightenment. His work still feels energetic and modern, full of clever dialogue, restless characters, and a strong sense that laughter can also be a way of challenging power.