Massenet, Jules Émile Frédéric

Massenet, Jules Émile Frédéric (1842-  ), French composer, was born at Montaud, on the 12th of May 1842. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where he obtained the Grand Prix de Rome in 1863 with the cantata David Rizzio. Massenet became one of the most prolific composers of his time. His operas include the following: La Grande tante, one act, opéra comique (1867); Don César de Bazan, three acts, opéra comique (1872); Le Roi de Lahore, five acts, opera (1877); Hérodiade, five acts (Brussels, 1881); Manon, five acts, opéra comique (1884); Le Cid, four acts, opera (1885); Esclarmonde, four acts, opéra comique (1889); Le Mage, five acts, opera (1891); Werther, four acts (Vienna, 1892); Thaïs, three acts, opera (1894); Le Portrait de Manon, one act, opéra comique (1894); La Navarraise, two acts (Covent Garden, 1894); Sapho, opéra comique (1897); Cendrillon, opéra comique (1900); Grisélidis, opéra comique (1901); Le Jongleur de Notre Dame (Mentone, 1902). Of these the most popular is Manon. Massenet’s other works include Marie Madeleine, sacred drama (1873); Eve, a mystery (1875); La Vierge, sacred legend (1880); six orchestral suites entitled Scènes hongroises, Scènes pittoresques, Scènes dramatiques, Scènes napolitaines, Scènes de féerie, Scènes alsaciennes; music to the tragedy Les Erynnies, to Théodora, Le Crocodile, L’Hetman; a requiem, Narcisse; an idyll, Biblis; a Scène antique; several sets of songs, entitled Poème d’avril, Poème d’amour, Poème d’hiver, Poème d’octobre, Poème pastoral, Poème du souvenir; also a large number of detached songs. He was professor of composition at the Conservatoire from 1878 to 1896, among his pupils being Hillemacher, Marty, Bruneau, Vidal, Pierné, Leroux and Charpentier. Massenet undoubtedly possesses a style of his own. He is at his best in music descriptive of the tender passion, and many of the love scenes in his operas are very beautiful.