Michel Baron

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Michel Baron

Portrait by François Courboin
Born Michel Baryon
8 October 1653
Paris, france
Died 22 December 1729
Paris, France
Domestic partner(s) Moliere

Michel Baron (8 October 1653 – 22 December 1729)) was a French actor and playwright. His family name was originally Boyron. His father and mother were leading players. He was born in Paris. He was orphaned at age 9, and joined the child company Petits Comediens Dauphins at age 12, becoming its brightest star. He came to the notice of Molière, and joined his troupe. He was Molière's protégé as well as his beloved starting in 1668.[1] He left the troupe after a conflict with Molière's wife, but rejoined in 1670. He played the role of Domitien in Pierre Corneille's Tite et Bérénice and played in Corneille's Psyché. He stayed with the troupe until Molière's death in 1673, when he joined the troupe at the Hotel de Bourgogne. This troupe merged with another in 1680 to become the Comédie-Française.

With Comédie-Française, Baron was the undisputed master of the French stage until his retirement in 1691. He created many of the leading roles in Racine's plays, and in his own Le Homme a bonnes fortunes and La Coquette. He also wrote Les Enlèvements and Le Debauche, and translated and acted in two plays by Terence.

In 1720, Baron re-appeared at the Palais Royal, and was very active. He died on December 22, 1729.

Barons's son Etienne Michel Baron (1676–1711) was also a fine actor. Etienne's son and two daughters all acted with the Comédie-Française.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

  1. ^ Keith Stern, Queers in History, p.271

[edit] External links