Sophie Bawr facts for kids
Baroness Sophie de Bawr (born Alexandrine-Sophie Goury de Champgrand on October 8, 1773 – died December 31, 1860) was a talented French writer, playwright, and composer. She was also known by other names like "Comtesse de Saint-Simon," "Baronne de Bawr," and even "M. François."
Her Life Story
Sophie de Bawr was born in Paris. Her father was Marquis Charles-Jean de Champgrand, and her mother was Madeline-Virginie Vian, an opera singer. Her father raised her, and she learned a lot about music from famous teachers like André Grétry, Nicolas Roze, and Adrien Boieldieu. She also studied singing with Pierre Garat and Jean Elleviou.
During a difficult time in France called the French Revolution, she secretly married a young nobleman named Jules de Rohan-Rochefort. Sadly, he died soon after. Her baby son from this marriage also passed away when he was very young in 1797.
After the French Revolution, Sophie supported herself by writing books, music, and plays. In 1801, she married Claude-Henri de Saint-Simon. Later, they divorced. She then married a man known as Baron de Bawr, who was from the Baltic German region. Tragically, he died in an accident, leaving her without money again. However, the French government eventually gave her a pension, which helped her financially.
One of her plays, Suite d'un bal masqué, was very popular. It was performed 246 times between 1813 and 1869! Sophie de Bawr passed away in Paris. For her first three comedies, she used the pen name M. François.
Her Creative Works
Alexandrine-Sophie de Bawr was a very busy writer. She wrote many different types of works, including plays for the theater, musical shows, songs, and several novels. She also wrote educational books and her own memoirs, which are like a personal history book. Her non-fiction writings are important because they give us historical information about her time.
Here are some of her selected works:
- La Suite d'un bal masqué, a comic play, first performed in 1813.
- Un quart d'heure de dépit, an opéra comique, written in 1813 (but never performed).
- Les Chevaliers du lion, a melodrama, from 1804.
- Léon, ou le château de Montaldi, another melodrama, from 1811.
- La Méprise, a play, from 1815.
- Charlotte Brown, a play, from 1835.
She also wrote other books, such as:
- Histoire de la musique, which was part of the Encyclopédie des dames (Encyclopedia for Ladies) in 1823.
- Soirées des jeunes personnes (Evenings for Young People), published in 1852.
- Souvenirs (Memories), published in 1853.
See also
In Spanish: Alexandrine-Sophie de Bawr para niños
