Albert Samain

Victor Albert Samain ( born April 4, 1858 in Lille, † August 18 1900 in Magny -les- Hameau ) was a French poet and representative of symbolism.

After attending high school Samain worked in a bank in his hometown. To 1884, he came to Paris, where he found employment in the prefecture of the Seine, which he held until shortly before his death.

In 1890, he was among the founders of the literary journal Mercure de France, where his first poems were published. 1893 appeared in small numbers his first volume of poetry Au Jardin de l' infante, who was applauded by the literary criticism. An expanded edition of the work appeared in 1897 under the title L ' urn Penchee. After 1898, his second book of poems Aux flancs you vase appeared was to Samain withdrew because of his failing health on the land where he died in 1900.

Samains third volume of poetry Le Chariot d'Or was published posthumously in 1901. It also contained the lyric drama Polyphème. This was premiered in 1904 at the Théâtre de l' Oeuvre and later formed the template for Jean Cras ' original opera, the premiere of which took place in 1922 at the Opéra -Comique. Later used Klaus Miehling the text for his Pastoral tragique Polyphème (op. 81, 2000).

Samains poems were often set to music by contemporary composers and younger, so by Amédée Dutacq, Paul Paray, Raymond de Pezzer, Philipp Jarnach, Alfredo Casella, Marguerite Canal, Agnès Humbert, Lili Boulanger and Klaus Miehling.