Henri Auguste Barbier (29 April 1805 – 13 February 1882) was a French
dramatist and poet.
Barbier was born in Paris, France. He was inspired by the
July Revolution and poured forth a series of eager, vigorous poems, denouncing the evils of the time. They are spoken of collectively as the ''Iambes'' (1831), though the designation is not strictly applicable to all. As the name suggests, they are modelled on the verse of
André Chénier. They include ''La Curée'', ''La Popularité'', ''L'Idole'', ''Paris'', ''Dante'', ''Quatre-vingt-treize'' and ''Varsovie''. The rest of Barbier's poems are forgotten, and when, in 1869, he received the long delayed honour of admission to the
Académie française
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
, Montalembert expressed the general sentiment with "Barbier? mais il est mort!," but actually he died at
Nice in 1882.
Barbier collaborated with
Léon de Wailly in the
libretto
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
of
Berlioz' opera ''
Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiography ...
'', and his works include two series of poems on the political and social troubles of
Italy and England, printed in later editions of ''Iambes et poèmes''.
Works
* ''La Curée (1830, dans la ''
Revue de Paris'').
Texte sur wikisource
* ''Les Mauvais Garçons'' (1830). With
Alphonse Royer.
* ''Iambes et poèmes'' (1831)
Texte sur Wikisource
* ''II Pianto : poème'' (1833)
Texte en ligne
/small>
* ''Salon de 1836. Suite d'articles publiés par le Journal de Paris'' (1836)
* ''Lazare : poème'' (1833)
* ''Satires et poèmes'' (1837)
* ''Nouvelles Satires : pot-de-vin et érostrate'' (1840)
* ''Chants civils et religieux'' (1841)
* ''Rimes héroïques'' (1843)
* ''Rimes légères : chansons et odelettes'' (1851)
* ''Satires et cahants'' (1853)
* ''Silves : poésies diverses'' (1864)
* ''Satires'' (1865) Texte sur Wikisource
* ''Trois passions'' (1867)
* ''Discours de réception'' (1870).
* ''Histoires de voyage : souvenirs et tableaux, 1830-1872'' (1880). Réédition : Slatkine, Genève, 1973.
* ''Contes du Soir'' (1879).
* ''Chez les poètes : études, traductions et imitations en vers'' (1882) Texte en ligne
/small>
* ''Les Quatre Heures de la toilette des dames : poème érotique en quatre chants'' (1883)
* ''Œuvres posthumes'' (4 volumes, 1883-1889) Texte en ligne
/small>
;Translations
* William Shakespeare : ''Jules César : tragédie'' (1848)
* Samuel Taylor Coleridge : ''La Chanson du vieux marin'' (1877)
;Libretto
* ''Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiography ...
, opera in 2 acts, lyrics by Léon de Wailly and Auguste Barbier, music by Hector Berlioz
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
'', Paris, premiered at the théâtre of the Académie royale de musique 3 September 1838. Texte en ligne
/small>
;Popular Culture
His poem Le Gin is referenced in Season 2 of Les Témoins Texte en ligne
/small>
The murderer writes graffiti near crime scenes based on these lines of the poem:
"Les mères mêmes, en rentrant pas à pas,
Laissent tomber les enfants de leurs bras,
Et les enfants, aux yeux des folles mères,
Vont se briser la tête sur les pierres."
References
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barbier, Henri Auguste
1805 births
1882 deaths
Writers from Paris
19th-century French dramatists and playwrights
Members of the Académie Française
Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery
19th-century French poets