PIERRE

See also:

• JEAN

JEAN

See also:

• BAPTISTE

BAPTISTE CHOUDARD

See also:

• PIERRE JEAN BAPTISTE CHOUDARD DESFORGES (1746-(18o6)

DESFORGES (1746-(18o6)  , French dramatist and man of letters, natural son of Dr Antoine Petit, was born in Paris on the 15th of September 1746 . He was educated at the College Mazarin and the College de Beauvais, and at his father's desire began the study of medicine . Dr Petit's death left him dependent on his own resources, and after appearing on the stage of the Comedie Italienne in Paris he joined a troupe of wandering actors, whom he served in the capacity of playwright . He married an actress, and the two spent three years in St Petersburg, where they were well received . In 1782 he produced at the Comedie Italienne an adaptation of Fielding's novel with the title Tom Jones a Londres . His first great success was achieved with L'Epreuve villageoise (1785) to the music of Gretry . La Femme jalouse, a five-act comedy in verse (1785), Joconde (1790) for the music of Louis Jaden, Les Epoux divorces (1799), a comedy, and other pieces followed . Desforges was one of the first to avail himself of the new facilities afforded under the Revolution for divorce and re-marriage . The curious record of his own early indiscretions in Le Poete, ou memoires d'un homme de lettres gaits par lui-meme (4 vols., 1798) is said to have been undertaken at the request of Madame Desforges . He died in Paris on the 13th of August 18o6 .