Philippe Quinault French poet, playwright, librettist. Date of Birth: 03.06.1635 Country: France

Biography of Philippe Quinault

Philippe Quinault, a French poet, playwright, and librettist, was born in Paris, France. He was a student of Tristan L'Hermite, who introduced him to the literary society. Quinault was known for his tragic plays, which were performed at the Burgundy Hotel Theatre.

In 1655, he became the secretary of the Duke of Guise, a position he held until his death. Quinault's talent and contributions to literature were recognized in 1670 when he was elected as a member of the French Academy.

One of his notable collaborations was with composer Jean-Baptiste Lully, for whom he served as a permanent librettist. Together, they created several operas, including "Armide" in 1686, which was later adapted by Christoph Willibald Gluck in 1777.

In Voltaire's "The Age of Louis XIV" (1751), Quinault is praised and ranked alongside other renowned French writers such as Pierre Corneille, Jean Racine, Nicolas Boileau, Molière, and Jean de La Fontaine.