BRESSANT

bressant, jean baptiste prosper (1815-1886), french actor, was born at chalon-sur-saone on the 23rd of october 1815, and began his stage career at the varietes in paris in 1833. in 1838 he went to the french theatre at st petersburg, where for eight years he played important parts with ever-increasing reputation. his success was confirmed at the gymnase when he returned to paris in 1846, and he made his _debut_ at the comedie francaise as a full-fledged _societaire_ in 1854. from playing the ardent young lover, he turned to leading roles both in modern plays and in the classical repertoire. his richelieu in _mlle de belle-isle_, his octave in alfred de musset's _les caprices de marianne_, and his appearance in de musset's _il faut qu'une porte soit ouverte ou fermee_ and _un caprice_ were followed by _tartuffe_, _le misanthrope_ and _don juan_. bressant retired in 1875, and died on the 23rd of january 1886. during his professorship at the conservatoire, mounet-sully was one of his pupils.