Composing Autobiography: Gustave Charpentier, Musical Life Narratives, and the Bohemian Self

Gustave Charpentier (1860–1956) is best known for his 1900 opera Louise, which was based on an episode from the composer’s youth. However, his attempts to create a musical life narrative reach far beyond a single work. This article takes up Charpentier’s invitation to read his œuvre through an autobiographical lens, problematizing his assertions of biographical verisimilitude by examining staging, criticism and iconography, as well as his ongoing media presence after he ceased to compose. It argues that these claims to musical autobiography are complicated and multifaceted, and that this perspective transforms our understanding of Charpentier and his work.