Augustin Eugène Scribe was a French dramatist and librettist. He is known for writing "well-made plays", a mainstay of popular theatre for over 100 years, and as the librettist of many of the most successful grand operas and opéras-comiques.
Scribe by Nadar
Le Comte Ory, 1828
Les Diamants de la couronne, 1851
A libretto is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term libretto is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as the Mass, requiem and sacred cantata, or the story line of a ballet.
Cover of a 1921 libretto for Giordano's Andrea Chénier
The composer of Cavalleria rusticana, Pietro Mascagni, flanked by his librettists, Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci
Pages from an 1859 libretto for Ernani, with the original Italian lyrics, English translation and musical notation for one of the arias
Henry Purcell (1659–1695), whose operas were written to English libretti