Photo: Photographer: Eugène Pirou (1841-1909) Restorer: Adam Cuerden / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
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
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / musicologist / music educator / university teacher / pianist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
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. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. 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 | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jules Massenet born?
May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912.
Where is Jules Massenet from?
Jules Massenet is from Saint-Étienne, Loire, France.
What does Jules Massenet do?
Jules Massenet works as composer, musicologist, music educator, university teacher, pianist.
What is Jules Massenet known for?
Notable works include Werther, Manon, Don Quichotte.
Composer — see all → · Musicologist — see all → · More people from France →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.