Henri Marie Gabriel Blondeau (5 August 1841 – 4 May 1925) was a French

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...

and

chansonnier A chansonnier (, , Galician and , or ''canzoniéro'', ) is a manuscript or printed book which contains a collection of chansons, or polyphonic and monophonic settings of songs, hence literally " song-books"; however, some manuscripts are call ...

, famous for his song ''

Frou-frou ''Frou-Frou'', is a French comedy film from 1955, directed by Augusto Genina, written by A. E. Carr, starring Dany Robin and Louis de Funès. The film is also known as "A Girl from Paris". Plot Frou-Frou is a 16-year-old peddler. She comes to t ...

''.

Biography

A clerk by a stockbroker, he became known in the early 1860s by his ditties in the cafés-concerts. With his friend

Hector Monréal Hector Monréal (17 July 1839 – 20 May 1910) was a French illustrator, Chansonnier (singer), chansonnier and playwright, mostly known for his song ''Frou-frou (song), Frou-frou''. A draftsman at the French Ministry of War, he left this positio ...

, they would collaborate during 40 years on the stages. His plays were presented on the most significant Parisian stages of the 19th century including the

Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique The (, literally, Theatre of the Comic-Ambiguity), a former Parisian theatre, was founded in 1769 on the boulevard du Temple immediately adjacent to the Théâtre de Nicolet. It was rebuilt in 1770 and 1786, but in 1827 was destroyed by fire. A ...

Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques The Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques () was a theatre in Paris in the 19th and 20th centuries. Opened first in 1832 in the site of the old Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique on the Boulevard du Temple, under Frédérick Lemaître it became a noted ...

Théâtre des Variétés The Théâtre des Variétés () is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7–8, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1974. History The theatre owed its creation to Mademoiselle Montans ...

, Théâtre du Château d'Eau. In 1870, during the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (, ) was a French revolutionary government that seized power in Paris on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard (France), Nation ...

, and in association with Monréal, he ran a satirical newspaper called the ''Fils du Père Duchêne illustré''.

Works

* ''Ah ! J'aime bien mieux ça !'', chansonnette, music by Ernest Martin, 1863 * ''L'Embarras du choix !'', chansonnette, music by Martin, 1863 * ''Victoire et félicité !'', duo comique, music by Auguste Girin, 1863 * ''Avez-vous vu Lambert ?'', scie parisienne, 1864 * ''Chacun a sa monomanie !'', chansonnette, music by Henri Chulliot de Ploosen, 1864 * ''Comme on change en vieillissant !'', chansonnette de genre, 1864 * ''Impossible de s'en passer !'', chansonnette, music by Martin, 1864 * ''Locataire et portier !'', duo comique, music by Martin, 1864 * ''La Belle Ziguezon'', ronde historiette, lyrics and music by Blondeau and Monréal, 1865 * ''Mr de Richenerac basconnade'', chansonnette, with Monréal, 1865 * ''Ça n'coûte que deux sous ! grrrrande revue du moment déroulée tous les soirs par Heudebert au Café-concert du boulevard du Temple'', 1865 * ''Le Pion amoureux'',

pochade A pochade (from French ''poche'', pocket) is a type of sketch used in painting. As opposed to a croquis, which is line art, a pochade captures the colors and atmosphere of a scene. Generally, pochades use a small, portable format. Robert Henri ...

parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...

, mingled with couplets, 1866 * ''Tapez-moi là-d'ssus !'',

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

in 4 acts and 8 tableaux, including 1 prologue, with Monréal, 1867 * ''Ah ! qu'c'est bête'', ronde burlesque et populaire, music by Léopold Bougnol, 1868 * ''Les Hannetons de l'année'', revue in 3 acts and 8 tableaux, including a prologue, with Monréal, 1868 * ''Dagobert et son vélocipède'', opérette bouffe in 1 act, 1869 * ''V'là les bêtises qui recommencent'', revue in 4 acts and 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1869 * ''Qui veut voir la lune ?'', revue fantaisie in 3 acts and 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1871 * ''Paris dans l'eau'', vaudeville aquatique in 4 acts, with Monréal, 1872 * ''Une poignée de bêtises'', revue in 2 acts and 3 tableaux, with Monréal, 1872 * ''La Veuve Malbrough'',

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

in 1 act, with Monréal, 1872 * ''La Nuit des noces de la Fille Angot'', vaudeville in 1 act, with Monréal, 1873 * ''Les Pommes d'or'', operetta

féerie ''Féerie'' (), sometimes translated as "fairy play", was a French theatrical genre known for fantasy plots and spectacular visuals, including lavish scenery and mechanically worked stage effects. ''Féeries'' blended music, dancing, pantomime, ...

in 3 acts and 12 tableaux, with Chivot,

Alfred Duru Henri Alfred Duru (22 November 1829 – 28 December 1889) was a 19th-century French playwright and operetta librettist who collaborated on more than 40 librettos for the leading French composers of operetta:Alfred Duru. In: ''The New Grove Dictio ...

and Monréal, 1873 * ''La Comète à Paris'', revue in 3 acts and 10 tableaux, with

, 1874 * ''Ah ! C'est donc toi Mme la Revue !'', revue in 3 acts and 10 tableaux, with Monréal, 1874 * ''Pif-Paf'', féerie in 5 acts, including 1 prologue and 20 tableaux, with Clairville and Monréal, 1875 * ''La Revue à la vapeur'', actualité parisienne in 1 act and 3 tableaux, with

Paul Siraudin Pierre-Paul-Désiré Siraudin (18 December 1812 – 8 September 1883) was a French playwright and librettist. He also used the pen names Paul de Siraudin de Sancy, Paul Siraudin de Sancy and M. Malperché. Biography He wrote many plays, main ...

, Charles Blondelet and Monréal, 1875 * ''L'Ami Fritz-Poulet'', parodie à la fourchette, mêlée de chansons à boire et à manger, en deux services, deux entremets et un dessert, with Monréal, 1876 * ''A treize ! tout à treize !'', chansonnette, 1876 * ''Les Environs de Paris'', voyage d'agrément in 4 acts and 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1877 * ''Un Hanneton dans la coupole'', fantaisie Charentonesque, music by Marc Chautagne, 1877 * ''Le Pays des chimères. Dalloz'', song, music by Chautagne, 1877 * ''Une Nuit de noces'', folie-vaudeville in 1 act, with Monréal, 1883 * ''Carnot'', military drame in 5 acts and 8 tableaux, with

Léon Jonathan Léon Jonathan was a 19th-century French playwright and chansonnier. Biography His plays were presented at the Théâtre Beaumarchais and the Théâtre du Château-d'Eau. He met great success with his plays ''Pierre Vaux, l'instituteur'' ''Rev ...

, 1884 * ''Au Clair de la lune'', revue in 4 acts and 8 tableaux, with Monréal and Georges Grisier, 1884 * ''Pêle-mêle gazette'', revue in 4 acts and 7 tableaux, with Grisier et Monréal, 1885 * ''La Serinette de Jeannot'', vaudeville in 1 act, with Monréal, 1885 * ''Les Terreurs de Jarnicoton'', vaudeville-pantomime in 1 act, with Monréal, 1885 * ''Les Victimes du devoir !'', chanson dramatique, music by Félicien Vargues, 1885 * ''Paris en général'', revue in 4 acts and 10 tableaux, with Grisier and Monréal, 1886 * ''Mam'zelle Clochette'', vaudeville in 1 act, with Monréal, 1887 * ''La Petite Francillon'', little parody in 1 small prologue, 3 small acts and 2 short intermissions, with Alphonse Lemonnier and Monréal, 1887 * ''Paris-cancans'', revue in 3 acts and 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1888 * ''Paris Exposition'', revue in 3 acts, 9 tableaux, with Monréal, 1889 * ''Paris-boulevard'', revue in 3 acts, 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1889 * ''Paris port de mer'', revue in 3 acts, 7 tableaux, with Monréal, 1891 * ''Les Variétés de l'année'', revue in 3 acts and 9 tableaux, with Monréal, 1892 * ''Les Bicyclistes en voyage'', play in 3 acts and 7 tableaux, with

Henri Chivot Henri Charles Chivot (; 13 November 1830 – 18 September 1897) was a French writer and playwright, mostly known as an operetta librettist. Biography Henri Chivot was born in Paris on 13 November 1830.O’Connor, Patrick"Chivot, Henri Charles" ...

, 1893 * ''Les Rouengaines de l'année'', revue in 3 acts, 7 tableaux including a prologue, with Monréal, 1893 * ''Tout Paris en revue'', revue in 3 acts and 3 tableaux, with Monréal, 1894 * ''La Revue sans gêne'', revue in 3 acts, 9 tableaux, with Monréal and Alfred Delilia, 1894 * ''Vive Robinson !'', duo, with Monréal and Delilia, music by Lucien Collin, 1894 * ''Une semaine à Paris'', revue in 3 acts, 11 tableaux, with Monréal, 1896 * ''Paris qui marche'', revue in 3 acts, 10 tableaux, with Monréal, 1897 * ''Paris sur scène'', revue in 3 acts, 8 tableaux, with Monréal, 1897 * ''Folies-Revue'', revue in 3 acts, 9 tableaux, with Monréal, 1898 * ''Frou-frou'', song, with Monréal, 1898 * ''Madame Méphisto'',

extravaganza An extravaganza is a literary or musical work (often musical theatre) usually containing elements of Victorian burlesque, and pantomime, in a spectacular production and characterized by freedom of style and structure. The term is derived from th ...

play, in 2 acts and 5 tableaux, with Monréal, 1900 * ''Paris-joujoux'', revue in 2 acts and 6 tableaux, with Monréal, 1901 * ''Olympia-Revue'', in 4 tableaux, with Monréal, 1903 * ''On demande une étoile'', scènes de la vie de théâtre, with Monréal, 1904 * ''Le Paradis de Mahomet'', operetta in 3 acts, music by

Robert Planquette Jean Robert Planquette (; 31 July 1848 – 28 January 1903) was a French composer of songs and operettas. Several of Planquette's operettas were extraordinarily successful in Britain, especially ''Les cloches de Corneville'' (1878), the length o ...

, 1906 * ''Guignol s'en va-t-en guerre'',

in 3 tableaux and one prologue, with Victor Buteaux, 1915 * ''Gaspard à Paris'', revue d'un permissionnaire in 2 acts and 6 tableaux, with René Pourrière, 1917 * ''Monsieur Bouchenlarge'', fantaisie, undated * ''Pour les distraire'', dittie, undated

Bibliography

Pierre Larousse Pierre Athanase Larousse (; 23 October 18173 January 1875) was a French grammarian, lexicographer and encyclopaedist. He published many of the outstanding educational and reference works of 19th-century France, including the 15-volume . Early ...

, ''Nouveau Larousse illustré'', supplément 1898 et 1906, (p. 81) * Jean Bergeaud, ''Je choisis ... mon théâtre: Encyclopédie du théâtre'', 1956, (p. 104)

External links

Voir sa fiche sur ''Artlyriquefr.fr''

La chanson ''Frou-frou'' on Youtube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blondeau, Henri 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights French librettists French chansonniers Writers from Paris 1841 births 1925 deaths