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François-Benoît Hoffman (; 11 July 1760 – 25 April 1828) 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 ...
and
critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...
, best known today for his
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
tic
libretto 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 theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...
s, including those set to
music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
by
Étienne Méhul Étienne Nicolas Méhul (; 22 June 1763 – 18 October 1817) was a French composer of the late Classical period (music), classical and early Romantic period (music), romantic periods. He was known as "the most important opera composer in France ...
and
Luigi Cherubini Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini ( ; ; 8 or 14 SeptemberWillis, in Sadie (Ed.), p. 833 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an Italian Classical and Romantic composer. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethov ...
(most notably Cherubini's ''
Médée ''Médée'' is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Pierre Corneille Pierre Corneille (; ; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great 17th-century Fr ...
'', 1797).


Career

Hoffman was born in Nancy, and studied law at the
University of Strasbourg The University of Strasbourg (, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers. Founded in the 16th century by Johannes Sturm, it was a center of intellectual life during ...
. Believing that his stammer hindered his legal career, he entered military service in
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
. He served there for only a very short time, and, returning to Nancy, wrote some poems which brought him into notice at the little court of
Lunéville Lunéville ( ; German : ''Lünstadt'' ; Lorrain: ''Leneinvile'') is a commune in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It is a subprefecture of the department and lies on the river Meurthe at its confluence with the Ve ...
over which the Marquise de Boufflers then presided. In 1784 he went to Paris where he wrote his first opera libretto, ''
Phèdre ''Phèdre'' (; originally ''Phèdre et Hippolyte'') is a French dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677 at the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris. Composition and premiere With ...
'', for the composer Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. It was performed at
Fontainebleau Fontainebleau ( , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the Kilometre zero#France, centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a Subprefectures in Franc ...
in October 1786. After quarrelling with Lemoyne, Hoffman offered his libretto ''Adrien, empereur de Rome'' to Cherubini, who turned it down in favour of another Hoffman drama, ''Médée''. '' Adrien'' was accepted instead by Méhul, with whom Hoffman collaborated on several operas, including '' Euphrosine'' (1790), '' Stratonice'' (1792) and ''
Ariodant ''Ariodant'' is an ''opéra comique'' (''drame mêlé de musique'') in three acts by the French composer Étienne Méhul first performed at the Théâtre Favart in Paris on 11 October 1799. The libretto, by François-Benoît Hoffman is based on ...
'' (1799). Hoffman was a strong advocate of authors' rights regarding artistic control, copyright and freedom of speech. This stance often brought him into conflict with the authorities. A quarrel with the management of the
Paris Opéra The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
over ''
Nephté ''Nephté'' is an opera by the French composer Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 15 December 1789. It takes the form of a ''tragédie lyrique'' in three acts. The libretto, by Franço ...
'' led to them rejecting ''Médée'' in 1790. In 1792, the French Revolutionary government objected to ''Adrien'' on political grounds, and Hoffman ran considerable risk by refusing to make the changes proposed to him. It was seven years before ''Adrien'' finally received its premiere at the Opéra. Hoffman's later operas were in a lighter style than his works of the 1790s. A notable example is ''
Les rendez-vous bourgeois ''Les rendez-vous bourgeois'' () is an opéra bouffon in one act by Nicolas Isouard to a French libretto by François-Benoît Hoffmann, in the form of an ''opéra comique'' with spoken dialogue between the musical numbers. The work was first per ...
'', with music by Isouard. In 1807 he was invited by Charles Guillaume Étienne to contribute to the '' Journal de l'Empire'' (afterwards the ''
Journal des Débats The ''Journal des débats'' (, ''Journal of Debates'') was a French newspaper, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times. Created shortly after the first meeting of the Estates-General of 1789, it was, after the outbreak ...
''). Hoffman's wide reading qualified him to write on all sorts of subjects, and he turned, apparently with no difficulty, from reviewing books on medicine to violent attacks on the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
. His severe criticism of Chateaubriand's ''
Les Martyrs ''Les martyrs'' (, ''The Martyrs'') is a four-act grand opera by Gaetano Donizetti set to a French libretto by Eugène Scribe. The libretto was based on one written by Salvadore Cammarano for an original Italian version known as ''Poliuto'', whic ...
'' led the author to make some changes in a later edition. He had the reputation of being an absolutely conscientious and incorruptible critic and thus exercised wide influence. Hoffman's poem ''Je te perds, fugitive espérance'' was set by
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
in 1806 in his song ''Als die Geliebte sich trennen wollten'' (WoO 132) in a translation by Stephan von Breuning.


Works

;Théâtre * ''
Phèdre ''Phèdre'' (; originally ''Phèdre et Hippolyte'') is a French dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677 at the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris. Composition and premiere With ...
'', tragédie lyrique en 3 actes, music by Lemoyne, premiere 26 October 1786 au
château de Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau ( , ; ), located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the French monarchs, includ ...
; * ''
Nephté ''Nephté'' is an opera by the French composer Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 15 December 1789. It takes the form of a ''tragédie lyrique'' in three acts. The libretto, by Franço ...
'', tragédie lyrique en 3 actes, music by Lemoyne, premiere 15 December 1789 at the Opéra de Paris ; * '' Euphrosine, ou le Tyran corrigé'', comédie en 5 actes mise en musique by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere 4 October 1790 at the
Comédie-Italienne Comédie-Italienne () or Théâtre-Italien () are French names which have been used to refer to Italian-language theatre and opera when performed in France. The earliest recorded visits by Italian players were ''commedia dell'arte'' companies ...
(réduite à 4, puis à 3 actes) ; * '' Adrien'', opéra en 3 actes, music by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere January 1792, puis sous une forme révisée en 1802 ; * '' Stratonice'', comédie héroïque en un acte et en vers, music by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere 3 May 1792 at the
Comédie-Italienne Comédie-Italienne () or Théâtre-Italien () are French names which have been used to refer to Italian-language theatre and opera when performed in France. The earliest recorded visits by Italian players were ''commedia dell'arte'' companies ...
; * '' Le jeune sage et le vieux fou'', comédie en un acte mêlée de musique by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
premiere 28 March 1793 at the
Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...
; * ''Adélaïde'', drame en 3 actes et en vers premiere 1793 ; * ''Callias'', drame en un acte et en vers premiere 1795 ; * ''Le Brigand'', opéra-comique en 3 actes premiere 1795 ; * ''Azeline'', comédie en 3 actes premiere 1797 ; * ''
Médée ''Médée'' is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Pierre Corneille Pierre Corneille (; ; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great 17th-century Fr ...
'', opéra en 3 actes, music by
Luigi Cherubini Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini ( ; ; 8 or 14 SeptemberWillis, in Sadie (Ed.), p. 833 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an Italian Classical and Romantic composer. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethov ...
, premiere 1797 at the
Théâtre Feydeau The Théâtre Feydeau (), a former Parisian theatre company, was founded in 1789 with the patronage of Monsieur, Comte de Provence (later to become Louis XVIII), and was therefore initially named the Théâtre de Monsieur. It began performing in ...
; * ''
Ariodant ''Ariodant'' is an ''opéra comique'' (''drame mêlé de musique'') in three acts by the French composer Étienne Méhul first performed at the Théâtre Favart in Paris on 11 October 1799. The libretto, by François-Benoît Hoffman is based on ...
'', drame en 3 actes mêlé de musique by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere 11 October 1799 at the
Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...
; * '' Bion'', comédie en un acte mêlée de musique by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere 27 December 1800 at the
Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...
; * ''Lisistrata, ou Les Athéniennes, Comédie en un acte et en prose, mêlée de vaudevilles imitée d'Aristophane'', premiere 15 January 1802 at the
Théâtre Feydeau The Théâtre Feydeau (), a former Parisian theatre company, was founded in 1789 with the patronage of Monsieur, Comte de Provence (later to become Louis XVIII), and was therefore initially named the Théâtre de Monsieur. It began performing in ...
; * ''Le Trésor supposé ou le Danger d’écouter aux portes'', comédie en un acte mêlée de musique by
Étienne Nicolas Méhul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...
, premiere 29 July 1802 à l'
Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...
; * ''Le Roman d’une heure'', comédie en un acte premiere Gymnase 1803 ; * ''La Ruse inutile'', opéra-comique en 2 actes premiere 1805 ; * ''Grimaldi'', comédie en 3 actes, music by
Rodolphe Kreutzer Rodolphe Kreutzer (15 November 1766 – 6 January 1831) was a French violinist, teacher, conductor, and composer of forty French operas, including '' La mort d'Abel'' (1810). He is probably best known as the dedicatee of Beethoven's Violin Son ...
, premiere 1810. * '' La mort d'Abel'', opera with music by Rodolphe Kreutzer, premiere 1810 (revised 1825) ;Romans, essais * ''Mes souvenirs ou Recueil de pensées fugitives'' (1802) ;


Sources

*L. Castel: ''Notice Biographique et Littéraire sur F.-B. Hoffman'', dans: ''Œuvres de F. B. Hoffman précédées d’une Notice sur sa vie''. Théatre. Tome 2. S. V-LV. *P. ul?Jacquinet: ''François Benoît Hoffman: sa vie, ses œuvres'', Nancy 1878. *''Stratonice'': introduction to the edition of Hoffman and Méhul's opera by M. Elizabeth C. Bartlet (Pendragon Press, 1997) * T. G. Waidelich: ''...imitée d’Aristophane". Die Lisistrata von Hoffman und Solié (1802) als Bindeglied zu den Verschwornen von
Castelli Castelli may refer to: Places Argentina * Castelli, Buenos Aires, city in Buenos Aires Province * Castelli Partido, partido in Buenos Aires Province * Juan José Castelli, Chaco, in Chaco Province * Villa Castelli, Argentina, in La Rioja Pr ...
und
Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...
mit einem Ausblick auf die Rezeption des Sujets im Musiktheater'' (Teil 1). In: Schubert:Perspektiven. 9, 2010, p. 216–228.


External links


François-Benoît Hoffman
on Data.bnf.fr {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffman, Francois-Benoit 18th-century French dramatists and playwrights 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights French opera librettists 1760 births 1828 deaths French critics University of Strasbourg alumni Writers from Nancy, France