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Alfred Blau

1827 – 1896

French librettist

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About Alfred Blau

Lived 1827 – 1896 (aged 68). Alfred Blau was a French librettist and playwright.

Alfred Blau (born Blois, 29 May 1827, died Brussels, 23 February 1896) was a French dramatist and opera librettist. He was a cousin of Édouard Blau, another French librettist of the same period.

Although born in Blois, he became "one of the most Parisians of the Parisians of Paris", although this only extended to the right bank of the city. He had trained in law and taken on a few cases but went to Paris aged 22 and soon became a part of the group of Murger, Schanne and Champfleury. In addition to the libretti listed below, in late 1887 he was in discussions with Emmanuel Chabrier for a libretto on the subject of The Tempest by Shakespeare, but the project came to nothing.

Blau was a member of the Académie of Blois (despite believing such institutions to be redundant), and was nominated chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1894, two years before his death in Brussels.

Operas to librettos by Alfred Blau Jules Duprato Le Chanteur florentin with Édouard Blau, (1866) Ernest Reyer Sigurd with Camille du Locle (1884) Jules Massenet Esclarmonde with Louis de Gramont (1889)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Knight of the Legion of Honour

People in Alfred Blau's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alfred Blau's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alfred Blau?

French librettist (1827-1896)

When was Alfred Blau born?

Alfred Blau was born on 29 May 1827 in Blois.

When did Alfred Blau die?

Alfred Blau died on 23 February 1896 in Brussels.

What was Alfred Blau's occupation?

Alfred Blau was a librettist and playwright.

What nationality was Alfred Blau?

Alfred Blau was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alfred Blau

· Wikidata: Q4722342

· DBpedia: Alfred Blau

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alfred Blau. https://biography.guide/alfred-blau/

MLA: "Alfred Blau." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alfred-blau/.

Chicago: "Alfred Blau." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alfred-blau/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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