Charles de La Rounat


Charles de La Rounat, real name Aimé-Nicolas-Charles Rouvenat, was a 19th-century French writer, playwright, journalist and theatre director.
A director of the Théâtre de l'Odéon from 1856 to 1867, then from 1880 to 1884, he authored several theatre plays and opéra comiques libretti, most of them in collaboration.
The historian was his grandson.

Biography

After studying literature, he was appointed in 1848 by the Provisional Government of 1848 secretary of the Luxembourg Commission presided by Louis Blanc, before turning to theatre. In 1855, he started collaborating with La Revue de Paris. After he was appointed director of the Théâtre de l'Odéon the following year, he successfully set up plays by many young authors but eventually resigned in June 1867 over disagreement with the regulators.
He then returned to journalism, wrote the feuilleton of the newspaper Le Siecle and was appointed government commissioner to subsidized theaters.
After he applied in 1879 for the chair of director of the Paris Opera, which ultimately fell to Auguste Vaucorbeil, he became director of the Odeon February 15, 1880, succeeding Félix Duquesnel.
A fall he made the following winter by going to the Department of Fine Arts caused a coxalgy, of which he died three years later, 25 December 1884. Paul Porel succeeded him at the Odéon.

Plays