Jean Nicolas Bouilly

Jean -Nicolas Bouilly ( born January 23 or January 24, 1763 in Joue -les -Tours, † April 14, 1842 in Paris) was a French dramatist, librettist and politician during the French Revolution. He is known for his libretto Leonore, which became the basis of Beethoven's opera Fidelio.

Life

Bouilly studied law at the University of Orléans and was initially a lawyer at the Parlement of Paris. As this was moved in 1787 to Troyes, he left it and devoted himself - encouraged by Mirabeau - more and more of the literature. During the Great Revolution, he was able to hold even under the new regime and has held various management functions in Tours held.

Among his numerous works are Pierre le Grand (1790) with music by André Ernest Modeste Grétry and the opera Les deux Journées (1800) to name with music by Cherubini.

His Leonore (1798 ) was initially set by Pierre Gaveaux as Leonore, ou L' amour conjugal in music, also by Simon Mayr L' amor coniugale and music by Ferdinando Paer as Leonora.

In 1795 he was elected a member of the welfare committee, but was soon dissolved it. 1836/7, he published his three-volume autobiography Mes Récapitulations. Jean -Nicolas Bouilly died on April 14, 1842 with 79 years in Paris and found in the Père Lachaise his final resting place.

Works

• L' abbé de l' épée. In 1800.
• Causeries d'un Veillard. In 1807.
• Contes à ma fille. , 1809.
• Les adieux du vieux conteur. In 1835.