Photo: Photographer: Eugène Pirou (1841-1909) Restorer: Adam Cuerden / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on May 12, 1842 in Saint-Étienne, Loire, France, Jules Massenet was a composer, musicologist and music educator. Death is recorded on August 13, 1912, at the age of 70. Listed accolades include Prix de Rome (1863), Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (1900), resident at the Villa Medici (1864) and 5 more. Notable works include Werther, Manon and Don Quichotte.
My Take
Jules Massenet occupies a tender corner of my musical affections. A son of Saint-Étienne who won the Prix de Rome at twenty-one and collected Legion of Honour ranks across his career, he is too easily reduced to his accolades. What moves me is the sheer humanity of his melodies, the ache of Manon and Werther, the famous Meditation from Thaïs that can stop a room cold. He wrote more than thirty operas, yet rarely let craft overwhelm feeling. I value composers who understand vulnerability, and Massenet wrote about longing and weakness with a gentleness that still feels, more than a century later, profoundly humane.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jules Massenet
- Name (Japanese)
- ジュール・マスネ
- Reading
- じゅーる・ますね
- Born
- May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Tiger
- Origin
- Saint-Étienne, Loire, France
- Occupation
- composer / musicologist / music educator / university teacher / pianist
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1863 Prix de Rome
- 1900 Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
- 1864 resident at the Villa Medici
- 1876 Knight of the Legion of Honour
- 1887 Officer of the Legion of Honour
- 1895 Commander of the Legion of Honour
- Order of Leopold
- 1902 Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Werther | — | |
| Notable work | Manon | — | |
| Notable work | Don Quichotte | — | |
| Notable work | Cendrillon | — | |
| Notable work | Thaïs | — | |
| Notable work | Hérodiade | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules%20Massenet
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%83%8D
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q194436
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jules Massenet born?
Born May 12, 1842.
When did Jules Massenet die?
Died August 13, 1912, aged 70.
Where was Jules Massenet from?
Jules Massenet was from Saint-Étienne, Loire, France.
What did Jules Massenet do?
Jules Massenet worked as composer, musicologist, music educator, university teacher, pianist.
What was Jules Massenet known for?
Notable works include Werther, Manon, Don Quichotte.
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