About
Victorien Sardou, born in Paris in 1831, was one of the most prolific and popular playwrights of 19th-century France. After a difficult start, he achieved success with plays such as Les Pattes de mouche (1860) and became a master of the 'well-made play'. His work, comprising about seventy plays, blends comedy, historical drama, and melodrama. He wrote for the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt plays like Fédora and La Tosca, the latter inspiring Puccini's opera. Elected to the Académie française in 1877, he dominated the theatrical scene of his time. He also engaged in painting and spiritualism.
* 1831-09-07 — † 1908-11-08
Major works
- Les Pattes de mouche (1860)comedy
- Patrie ! (1869)historical drama
- Fédora (1882)drama
- La Tosca (1887)drama
- Madame Sans-Gêne (1893)comedy
Key milestones
- 1877Elected to the Académie française
- 1887Premiere of La Tosca, which inspired Puccini's opera
- 1893Last major success with Madame Sans-Gêne
Themes
intricate plotshistorical dramacomedy of mannersmelodramasocial satire
Sources: musee-orsay.fr · britannica.com