Louis Gallet facts for kids
Louis Gallet (born February 14, 1835, died October 16, 1898) was a French writer. He wrote many different things, like plays, stories, and articles. He is best known for writing librettos for operas and cantatas. A libretto is the text or story of an opera. He worked with famous composers such as Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Jules Massenet.
Life and Work
Louis Gallet had a regular job to support himself. He worked in the administration that helped the poor. He also held important positions at hospitals in Paris, like Beaujon hospital.
In 1871, a theater manager named Camille du Locle wanted to produce a short opera by Camille Saint-Saëns. He suggested that Louis Gallet write the story for it. Saint-Saëns didn't know Gallet, but they worked well together. Their first opera was called La princesse jaune. This opera was special because it was one of the first to show Japanese culture on stage. Japan had only recently opened up to trade with Western countries. Japanese woodblock prints had just arrived in Paris a couple of years before. Gallet and Saint-Saëns became good friends and worked together for many years. Saint-Saëns even recommended Gallet to be a music critic, even though Gallet wasn't a musician himself.
Gallet also wrote for Jules Massenet. Their first big success together was an oratorio called Marie-Magdeleine in 1872. An oratorio is like an opera but usually without costumes or staging, and often based on religious stories. This work was Massenet's first major success.
Louis Gallet also wrote the story for Georges Bizet's one-act opera Djamileh. It premiered successfully in 1872. Sadly, two other operas Gallet worked on with Bizet were not finished because Bizet passed away in 1875.
For Massenet's opera Thaïs, Gallet used a special kind of writing. It was like poetry but didn't rhyme. He called it poésie melique. This style was made for speaking with music, like a melodrama. Gallet's writing helped the spoken words flow into beautiful songs. This style worked perfectly with the music of Saint-Saëns and Massenet.
After Gallet died, Saint-Saëns wrote about him. He said Gallet was a very kind, loyal, and honest person. He also mentioned Gallet's good humor, unique personality, and sharp mind.
Main Works
Operas and Oratorios
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Novels
- Les confidences d'un baiser
- Le Capitaine Satan
- Saltimbanques
- Le Petit Docteur
Other Writings
- Notes d'un librettiste (1891)
- Guerre et Commune (1898)
See also
In Spanish: Louis Gallet para niños
