Regnard, Jean-François
(1655–1709)> LIBRETTIST
Regnard, Jean-François (February 1655, Paris; 4 September 1709, Normandy), librettist, was born into a wealthy family of Parisian merchants. He lost his father when he was still an infant, but his mother undertook to provide him with an excellent education. After he had finished his schooling, he traveled to Italy and Constantinople. He was returning to France by ship after a second trip to Italy when he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Algiers. He was put to work making wicker…