Empis, Adolphe-Dominique-Florent-Joseph Simonis

Empis, Adolphe-Dominique-Florent-Joseph Simonis DIT (29 march 1795, Paris; 12 December 1868, Paris), playwright and librettist, was born into a wealthy family and received an excellent classical education. His family suffered a series of financial reverses when he was still a young man, however, and he was obliged to take a position with the government during the reign of Louis XVIII to support himself. His intelligence and diligence served him well, and he was promoted rapidly. At the same…