Louis-Benoît Picard (29 July 1769 in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
– 31 December 1828 in Paris) was a French playwright, actor, novelist, poet and music director.
[Jean Gourret, '' Ces hommes qui ont fait l'Opéra'', 1984, p. 106-107.]
Biography
Son of a lawyer, and nephew of a doctor, Picard refused to follow the careers of law and medicine, and dedicated himself to the theater encouraged by his friend
François Andrieux
François Guillaume Jean Stanislaus Andrieux (6 May 17599 May 1833) was a French man of letters and playwright.
Life
Born and educated at Strasbourg, Andrieux proceeded to Paris to study law. There he became a close friend of Collin d'Harlevil ...
. He first became an actor before producing his first play, ''Le Badinage dangereux'', in 1789.
Picard worked with the
Comédiens-Italiens.
In 1807 Picard was received by
Bernardin de Saint-Pierre
Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (; also called Bernardin de St. Pierre) (19 January 1737, in Le Havre – 21 January 1814, in Éragny, Val-d'Oise) was a French writer and botanist. He is best known for his 1788 novel, '' Paul et Virginie ...
when he was elected to the
Académie française
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...
. Before he became the head of the
Odéon-Théâtre in 1816, he directed the
Académie Impériale de Musique
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 ...
. He was at Odéon-Théâtre until 1821.
In the painting ''Louis-Benoît Picard and his family'',
Pauline Auzou depicts Picard with his wife Victoria Longchamps (far right), his brother and sisters Latour and Adele Picard and Mrs. Guersant. With Mrs. Guersant is her husband physician Louis Benoit Guersant, their son, Paul Benedict Guersant Louis, who became a doctor, and baby daughter who became Ms. Blache. LaTour's wife wore a red shawl over a black dress. The Picard's father, who had been a lawyer and parliamentarian, is represented in a portrait made by Auzou, which won a medal of honor at the 1806 Paris Salon. His writing desk holds his manuscripts and a book he is reading.
Works
* ''Les Visitandines'' (put on 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 ...
on 7 August 1792, with music by
François Devienne
François Devienne (; 31 January 1759 – 5 September 1803) was a French composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period and professor for flute at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatory.
Career
Devienne was born in Joinvill ...
)
''Les Visitandines''
Gallica.bnf.fr.
* ''La vraie bravoure'' (1793)
* ''Médiocre et rampant'' (1797)
* ''Le Collatéral'' (1799)
* ''Les Provinciaux à Paris'' (1801)
* ''Le Contrat d'union'' (1801)
* ''La Petite Ville'' (1801)
* ''Les voisins'' (1802)
* ''Les conjectures'' (1802)
* ''Le vieux comédien'' (1803)
* ''La Noce sans Mariage'' (1805)
* ''Le Susceptible'' (1805)
* ''Les oisifs'' (1809)
* ''Un lendemain de fortune, ou Les embarras du bonheur'' (1811)
* ''Un jeu de la fortune, ou Les marionnettes'' (1821)
References
External links
His works and productions
o
CÉSAR
His works available on Gallica
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Picard, Louis Benoit
1769 births
1828 deaths
18th-century French dramatists and playwrights
18th-century French male writers
19th-century French dramatists and playwrights
19th-century French male writers
Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery
Directors of the Paris Opera
French opera librettists
Members of the Académie Française
Writers from Paris