DELIBES

delibes, clement philibert leo (1836-1891), french composer, was born at saint germain du val on the 21st of february 1836. he studied at the paris conservatoire under adolphe charles adam, through whose influence he became accompanist at the theatre lyrique. his first essay in dramatic composition was his _deux sous de charbon_ (1853), and during several years he produced a number of operettas. his cantata _alger_ was heard at the paris opera in 1865. having become second chorus master at the grand opera, he wrote the music of a ballet entitled _la source_ for this theatre, in collaboration with minkous, a polish composer. la source was produced with great success in 1866. the composer returned to the operetta style with _malbrouk s'en va-t-en guerre_,--written in collaboration with georges bizet, emile jonas and legouix, and given at the theatre de l'athenee in 1867. two years later came _l'ecossais de chatou_, a one-act piece, and _la cour du roi petaud_, a three-act opera-bouffe. the ballet _coppelia_ was produced at the grand opera on the 25th of may 1870 with enormous success. delibes gave up his post as second chorus master at the grand opera in 1872 when he married the daughter of mademoiselle denain, formerly an actress at the comedie francaise. in this year he published a collection of graceful melodies including _myrto_, _les filles de cadiz_, _bonjour_, _suzon_ and others. his first important dramatic work was _le roi l'a dit_, a charming comic opera, produced on the 24th of may 1873 at the opera comique. three years later, on the 14th of june 1876, _sylvia_, a ballet in three acts, one of the composer's most delightful works, was produced at the grand opera. this was followed by _la mort d'orphee_, a grand scena produced at the trocadero concerts in 1878; by _jean de nivelle_, a three-act opera brought out at the opera comique on the 8th of march 1880; and by _lakme_, an opera in three acts produced at the same theatre on the 14th of april 1883. lakme has remained his most popular opera. the composer died in paris on the 16th of january 1891, leaving _kassya_, a four-act opera, in an unfinished state. this work was completed by e. guiraud, and produced at the opera comique on the 21st of march 1893. in 1877 delibes became a chevalier of the legion of honour; in 1881 he became a professor of advanced composition at the conservatoire; in 1884 he took the place of victor masse at the institut de france. leo delibes was a typically french composer. his music is light, graceful and refined. he excelled in ballet music, and _sylvia_ may well be considered a masterpiece. his operas are constructed on a conventional pattern. the harmonic texture, however, is modern, and the melodic invention abundant, while the orchestral treatment is invariably excellent.