Franc-Nohain
Encyclopedia
Maurice Étienne Legrand, who published under the pseudonym
Franc-Nohain (25 October 187218 October 1934) was a French librettist and poet. He is best known for his libretti for Maurice Ravel
's opera L'heure espagnole
and for numerous operettas by Claude Terrasse
.
Maurice Étienne Legrand was born in 1872 in Corbigny
; his father was an overseer-agent. He attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly
. In the late 1880s he contributed poems to the literary magazine Potache-Revue (potache being slang for 'schoolkid'), along with André Gide
, Léon Blum
, Pierre Louÿs
, Maurice Quillot and others. Later, he published in the journal Le Chat noir. He also founded Le Canard sauvage and became the editor of L'Écho de Paris
. He also became a lawyer and deputy prefect.
His literary pseudonym Franc-Nohain was derived from the Nohain River, where he had spent many happy hours as a child.
With Alfred Jarry
and Claude Terrasse
, he co-founded the Théatre des Pantins, which in 1898 was the site of marionette performances of Jarry's "Ubu Roi
."
He is best remembered now as the librettist for some operettas by Terrasse, and for the opera L'heure espagnole
by Maurice Ravel
, adapted from his own comedy.
He had two sons: the actor Claude Dauphin
, and the song writer and television producer/director Jean Nohain (aka Jaboune).
He died in Paris in October 1934, aged 61.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Franc-Nohain (25 October 187218 October 1934) was a French librettist and poet. He is best known for his libretti for Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
's opera L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole is a one-act opera, described as a comédie musicale, with music by Maurice Ravel to a French libretto by Franc-Nohain, based on his play of the same name first performed at the Théâtre de l'Odéon on 28 October 1904...
and for numerous operettas by Claude Terrasse
Claude Terrasse
Claude Terrasse , was a French composer of operettas.Claude Terrasse was considered by some as the true successor to Jacques Offenbach , one of the originators of the operetta form, a precursor of the modern musical comedy.Terrasse was born in L'Arbresle, Rhône...
.
Maurice Étienne Legrand was born in 1872 in Corbigny
Corbigny
Corbigny is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.The city is located next to the Morvan and is one of the five Cities-Doors of Parc naturel régional du Morvan.-History:...
; his father was an overseer-agent. He attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly
Lycée Janson de Sailly
Lycée Janson de Sailly is a lycée located in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris, France. It is generally considered as one of the most prestigious lycées in Paris...
. In the late 1880s he contributed poems to the literary magazine Potache-Revue (potache being slang for 'schoolkid'), along with André Gide
André Gide
André Paul Guillaume Gide was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.Known for his fiction as well as his autobiographical works, Gide...
, Léon Blum
Léon Blum
André Léon Blum was a French politician, usually identified with the moderate left, and three times the Prime Minister of France.-First political experiences:...
, Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs was a French poet and writer, most renowned for lesbian and classical themes in some of his writings. He is known as a writer who "expressed pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection."-Life:...
, Maurice Quillot and others. Later, he published in the journal Le Chat noir. He also founded Le Canard sauvage and became the editor of L'Écho de Paris
L'Écho de Paris
L'Écho de Paris was a daily newspaper in Paris from 1884 to 1944.The paper's editorial stance was initially conservative and nationalistic, although it did later become close to the French Socialist Party. Its writers included Octave Mirbeau, Georges Clemenceau, Henry Bordeaux, François Mitterrand,...
. He also became a lawyer and deputy prefect.
His literary pseudonym Franc-Nohain was derived from the Nohain River, where he had spent many happy hours as a child.
With Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry was a French writer born in Laval, Mayenne, France, not far from the border of Brittany; he was of Breton descent on his mother's side....
and Claude Terrasse
Claude Terrasse
Claude Terrasse , was a French composer of operettas.Claude Terrasse was considered by some as the true successor to Jacques Offenbach , one of the originators of the operetta form, a precursor of the modern musical comedy.Terrasse was born in L'Arbresle, Rhône...
, he co-founded the Théatre des Pantins, which in 1898 was the site of marionette performances of Jarry's "Ubu Roi
Ubu Roi
Ubu Roi is a play by Alfred Jarry, premiered in 1896. It is a precursor of the Theatre of the Absurd and Surrealism. It is the first of three stylised burlesques in which Jarry satirises power, greed, and their evil practices — in particular the propensity of the complacent bourgeois to abuse the...
."
He is best remembered now as the librettist for some operettas by Terrasse, and for the opera L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole
L'heure espagnole is a one-act opera, described as a comédie musicale, with music by Maurice Ravel to a French libretto by Franc-Nohain, based on his play of the same name first performed at the Théâtre de l'Odéon on 28 October 1904...
by Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
, adapted from his own comedy.
He had two sons: the actor Claude Dauphin
Claude Dauphin (actor)
Claude Dauphin was a French actor. He appeared in over 130 films between 1930 and 1978.He was born in Corbeil-Essonnes, Essonne. His father was Maurice Étienne Legrand, a poet who wrote as Franc-Nohain, and who was the librettist for Maurice Ravel's opera L'heure espagnole.Dauphin married...
, and the song writer and television producer/director Jean Nohain (aka Jaboune).
He died in Paris in October 1934, aged 61.