Beaumarchais, Pierre Augustin Caron de

(1732-1799)
Born January 24, 1732 in Paris, the son of a wealthy watchmaker. Studied at the family trade, but for the extravagant excesses father removed him from the affairs. Ctav music teacher to the daughters of Louis XV, . He later became secretary to the monarch and by the court liaison actively participated in a variety of financial transactions, . which brought him great condition and at the same time drawn into a series of high-profile trials,
. Few days Beaumarchais had to spend in prison, to justify himself, he published his brilliant memoirs (Mmoires, 1774), where sarcastically mocked judicial tyranny.
The love of theater led him to write two dramas - Eugene (Eugnie, 1767) was received favorably, two friends (Les Deux amis, 1770) expecting a crushing defeat. The resounding success of The Barber of Seville (Le Barbier de Sville, 1775) made the leader of the National Theater Beaumarchais. Placed in 'Theater des Franцїais' February 23, 1775 the play was on the Spanish entourage, but it is French in spirit. Outstanding value, it has become not so much sparkling humor and brilliant dialogues, as the image of Figaro - clever, inexhaustible in the invention, a shrewd servant. On the basis of its libretto was written by G. Rossini Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1816).

This same character appears in the next play by Beaumarchais, The Marriage of Figaro (Le Mariage de Figaro, 1784), where the feudal privileges were so fierce attack, that the king is not allowed to show it in public. With his usual dexterity Beaumarchais used censored king in order to bring even more interest to the play. When she was finally placed in the 'Theater des Franцїais' April 27, 1784, three people were killed, crushed in the door frenzied crowd. Democracy barber in marriage filled with revolutionary zeal. Figaro is no longer embodies the image of a faithful servant, as he is brought Moliere, - now a free man, he must contend with the noble host and is acutely aware of their place in the new circumstances. Appearing on the scene almost on the eve of the French Revolution, Figaro symbolizes the triumph of the trends that languished for decades in the works of Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot and other philosophers. Scathing remarks Figaro and distinct hints of comedy earned immortal glory on the stage. On the basis of its libretto was written by Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (1786). Beaumarchais tried to use the same characters for the third time, but the ponderous melodrama Criminal Mother (La Mre coupable, 1792) was not successful.

The Revolution made in the biography of Beaumarchais regular bar: sent by the Revolutionary Government of the Netherlands, he performed a number of assignments, but then was thrown into prison. Coming to freedom, became an agent of the Committee of Public Safety and persecuted as an emigre. His property was confiscated, the family was arrested. In 1796 he was allowed to return to France. Died Beaumarchais in Paris May 18, 1799.