Eugène Grangé (16 December 1810 – 1 March 1887) was a French playwright, librettist, chansonnier and goguettier.[1]
Eugène Grangé
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Eugène Grangé, cliché Pierre Petit
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| Born | Pierre-Eugène Basté 16 December 1810 |
| Died | 1 March 1887(1887-03-01) (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Playwright librettist chansonnier goguettier |
| Years active | 1828 – 1881 |
| Spouse | Sophie-Jenny Dubois |
The son of Pierre-Joseph Basté and Louise-Thérèse Grangé, Pierre-Eugène Basté was born in rue Beautreillis in Paris. He attended the school and the collège Charlemagne. After graduation, he began working in a banking house that he left to start a literary career. At 17, he found himself having comédies en vaudeville played in the small theaters of Boulevard du Temple. He would sign these pieces with his middle name, Eugène and his mother's surname. He became the favorite author of Théâtre des Funambules and of Mme Saqui's show. By that time, he was dubbed the "Scribe of the boulevard du Temple". As a consequence of his success, Mme Saqui wanted him to work exclusively for her. For a year or two, Grangé would be the sole - and highly paid - author of her theater.
In 1833, he gave the théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques a three-act play: Le Gamin, in collaboration with Lubize (1798-1863).[2] Then, in 1836, he presented the théâtre des Variétés with Le Tour de faction, which was met with great success.
During his career, he addressed all genres: comedy, vaudeville, drama, féerie, year-end review.
Eugene Grangé was also a songwriter and a goguettier. He would participate to the monthly singing dinners of the Gnoufs-Gnoufs founded in 1858. Then, in May 1865 at the invitation and under the patronage of his friend Clairville, he joined the Fourth société du Caveau [3] of which he eventually became a full member. He would be elected president seven times (1868, 1872, 1874, 1877, 1880, 1882 and 1884).
At the end of the year 1879, Louis Henry Lecomte evaluated Grangé's output to no less than 350 plays and 300 songs that were inserted into the magazine Le Caveau.[4] In addition to these songs are 72 speeches in verse that he gave as president of the Caveau. In 1881, he wrote the foreword presentation of his friend Henri Fénée's songbook, like him a member of the Caveau.[5]
Married to Sophie-Jenny Dubois, he died in his home at 54 rue Saint-Lazare in Paris.
