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Henri Meilhac (; 23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a prolific French playwright and opera librettist, known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on comic operas with music by Jacques Offenbach. He also wrote occasionally for serious works including Georges Bizet's Carmen (with Halévy) and Jules Massenet's Manon.
Born in Paris, Meilhac began writing for a humorous magazine in 1852, and four years later he began a career as a playwright. In 1860 he collaborated for the first time with Halévy, an old schoolfriend, on a one-act comedy, presented at the Théâtre des Variétés. Over the next twenty-one years the two co-wrote fifty more stage works.
After Halévy retired in 1882 Meilhac continued to write, sometimes as sole author and sometimes with collaborators. His tally of stage works is more than a hundred, and includes short and full-length comic plays and the libretti of twenty-five operettas. He and Halévy wrote the libretti for Offenbach's La belle Hélène (1864), La vie parisienne (1866), La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (1867) and La Périchole (1868). In addition Meilhac provided libretti for operettas by Charles Lecocq, Hervé, Gaston Serpette and Robert Planquette.
After leaving school he worked as a commercial clerk in bookselling, and then began to write for a living, contributing articles and drawings to the Journal amusant from 1852 to 1855. He made his theatrical debut in 1856, with a one-act comédie en vaudevilles, La Sarabande du Cardinal, with a cast of five, and music by Sylvain Mangeant, given at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in May.Martin, pp. 387–391 He wrote a further seven comedies between then and 1860, when he began to work with co-authors, as was frequently done in the French theatre of the time. His first collaborator was Germain Delavigne but in 1860 he teamed up with his friend Halévy to write a one-act comedy, Ce qui plait les hommes (What Men Like), presented at the Théâtre des Variétés on 20 April 1861.Martin, p. 271 Between then and 1881 the two collaborated on a further fifty stage works, in between working alone or with other co-authors.Martin, pp. 271–274 and 387–391 A biographer of Meilhac has written:
The critic Henry Fouquier wrote in 1897, "It is agreed that Meilhac was the bold inventor and the audaciously fanciful, while M. Halévy remained the skilful, wise, and level-headed man of the theatre, and the writer of moderation and taste.
The three followed La belle Hélène with two more great successes: La vie parisienne (1866) and La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (1867).Faris, pp. 141–142; and 147 Le château à Toto (1868) did less well at the box-office,Faris, p. 158 but La Périchole (1868) was another success. It was based on Le carrosse du Saint-Sacrement, a comedy by Prosper Mérimée, who was to feature again in Meilhac and Halévy's work four years later. Their last two collaborations with Offenbach in the 1860s – La diva (1869) and Les brigands (1869) – were less successful.Faris, p. 160 The Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71 and the downfall of the Second Empire caused a strong reaction against Offenbach from the public, who identified him with the fallen regime. He left the country for a time, taking refuge in London and Vienna.Gammond, p. 102
Other composers for whom Meilhac wrote or co-wrote comic opera libretti were Jules Cohen, Auguste Durand, Clémence de Grandval, Hervé, Charles Lecocq, Gaston Serpette and Robert Planquette. He was a posthumous contributor to Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow in 1895: it was based on Meilhac's 1861 comedy Attaché d'ambassade (Embassy Attaché) adapted without permission.Harewood, pp. 410 and 748Lamb, Andrew. "Meilhac, Halévy and Viennese Operetta", Opera, December 1972, p. 1066
The management of the Opéra-Comique was uneasy about presenting a piece with a tragic and violent ending, and Meilhac unsuccessfully urged Bizet to resist killing Carmen off at the end of the last act.McClary, p. 23 Their predictions of a failure proved accurate: the piece completed its scheduled run of forty-eight performances, but played to small audiences.McClary p. 28 Grove comments on the librettists' efforts for Carmen: "perhaps the most famous product of the Halévy-Meilhac collaboration, but not a very typical one ... There is some justice in the complaint that the remarkable style of Mérimée’s original narrative is lost".
This was the pair's only joint venture into tragedy. They wrote seven more libretti together, of which three were for Offenbach and four for Lecocq. When Offenbach returned to Paris from his voluntary exile he collaborated with Halévy and Meilhac on revised versions of La vie parisienne and La Perichole; the three collaborators' final work together was an opéra bouffe, La boulangère a des écus.(1875). Thereafter Halévy and Meilhac provided libretti for four opéras comiques with music by Lecocq: Le petit duc (1878), La petite mademoiselle (1879), Janot (1881) and La rousotte (1881), in the last of which there was also music by Hervé and Marius Boullard. They were unwitting contributors to Johann Strauss's 1874 Die Fledermaus, which plagiarised the plot of their 1872 comedy Le Réveillon (New Year's Eve).Harewood, pp. 410 and 748 They refused to allow the operetta to be produced in France.
In 1888, Meilhac was elected to the Académie française, joining Halévy, who was elected in 1881. He died in Paris on 6 July 1897, aged sixty-seven. After his death a London newspaper reported that at one time he had fourteen of his plays running simultaneously in Paris."The Prolific Meilhac", The Sketch, 14 July 1897, p. 2 In Le Figaro Henry Fouquier wrote, "As it was said of Rossini that he was not a musician, but was 'Music', we can say of Meilhac that he was the Theatre itself ... the very expression of the disrespectful, witty and good-natured scepticism of the happy days of the Empire".Fouquier, Henry. Obituary, Le Figaro, 7 July 1897, p. 1
Librettist
Meilhac's first libretto for a comic opera was for Louis Deffès' Les Bourguignonnes, given at the Opéra-Comique in July 1861; with Halévy, he had a huge hit with his next: Offenbach's La belle Hélène (1864). Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians says of Halévy and Meilhac:
Carmen and later
Although the two librettists were known for their comedies, in 1872 they undertook what was, for them, an unusual assignment. Halévy's cousin Geneviève (daughter of Fromental) was married to Bizet, whom the directors of the Opéra-Comique invited to write an opera in collaboration with Halévy and Meilhac. The librettists were enthusiastic about the composer's preference for a plot based on Mérimée's story Carmen;McClary, p. 19 they provided a libretto with the requisite tragic ending. Nonetheless, they regarded the piece as a side venture. Just before the premiere, Halévy wrote:
Last years
After Halévy retired in 1882, Meilhac wrote two serious libretti for operas by Jules Massenet ( Manon, 1884, with Philippe Gille) and Leo Delibes ( Kassya, 1893, with Gille). He continued to write comedies; his most frequent collaborators were Gille and Albert de Saint-Albin.
Stage works
La sarabande du cardinal (The Cardinal's Sarabande) vaudeville 1 Palais-Royal 29 May 1856 Satania vaudeville 2 Palais-Royal 10 Oct 1856 Le copiste (The Copyist) comedy 1 Gymnase 3 Aug 1857 Péché caché (Hidden Sin) comedy 1 Palais-Royal 11 Jan 1858 L'autographe comedy 1 Gymnase 27 Nov 1858 Retour d'Italie (Return from Italy) comedy 1 Gymnase 14 Aug 1859 Le petit-fils de Mascarille (Mascarille's Grandson) comedy 5 Gymnase 8 Oct 1859 Ce qui plaît aux hommes (What Men Like) comedy 1 Ludovic Halévy Variétés 6 Oct 1860 Une heure avant l'ouverture (One Hour Before Opening) vaudeville 1 Germain Delavigne Vaudeville 31 Dec 1860 L'étincelle (The Spark) comedy 3 Vaudeville 31 Dec 1860 Le menuet de Danaé (Danaë's Minuet) comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 20 Apr 1861 La vertu de Célimène (The Virtue of Célimène) comedy 5 Gymnase 1 May 1861 Attaché d'ambassade (Embassy Attaché) comedy 3 Vaudeville 12 Oct 1861 Le café du roi (Coffee for a King) opéra-comique 1 Louis Deffès Lyrique 6 Nov 1861 Les moulins à vent (The Windmills) vaudeville 3 Halévy Variétés 22 Feb 1862 L'échéance (The Deadline) comedy 1 Delavigne Gymnase 15 Mar 1862 La clé de Métella (Métella's Key) comedy 1 Halévy Vaudeville 24 Nov 1862 Les brebis de Panurge (Panurge's Sheep) comedy Halévy Vaudeville 24 Nov 1862 Le Brésilien (The Brazilian) vaudeville 1 Halévy Palais-Royal 9 May 1863 Le train de minuit (The Midnight Train) comedy 2 Halévy Gymnase 15 Jun 1863 Les Bourguignonnes (The Burgundian Women) opéra-comique 1 Deffês Opéra-Comique 6 Jul 1863 Néméa ballet 3 Ludwig Minkus Opéra 14 Jul 1864 CantateLacombe, p.172 - - Halévy Jules Duprato Opéra 15 Aug 1864 (Assumption and birth of Napoleon) Les curieuses (The Nosey Parkers) comedy 1 Delavigne Gymnase 17 Oct 1864 La belle Hélène opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Jacques Offenbach Variétés 17 Dec 64 Le photographe (The Photographer) comedy 1 Halévy Palais-Royal 24 Dec 1864 Le singe de Nicolet (Nicolet's Monkey) comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 29 Jan 1865 Fabienne comedy 3 Gymnase 1 Sep 1865 Les méprises de Lambinet (Lambinet at Cross-purposes) vaudeville 1 Halévy Variétés 3 Dec 1865 Barbe-bleue (Bluebeard) opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Variétés 5 Feb 1866 José Maria opéra-comique 3 Eugène Cormon Jules Cohen Opéra-Comique 6 Jul 1866 La vie parisienne (Parisian Life) opéra bouffe 4 Halévy Offenbach Palais-Royal 31 Oct 1866 La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Variétés 12 Apr 1867 Tout pour les dames (Everything for the Ladies) vaudeville 1 Halévy Variétés 8 Sept 1867 L'élixir de Cornélius opéra-comique 1 Delavigne Auguste Durand Fantaisies 3 Feb 1868 Le château à Toto opéra-bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Palais-Royal 6 May 1868 La pénitente opéra-comique 1 William Busnach Clémence de Grandval Opéra-Comique 13 May 1868 Fanny Lear comedy 5 Halévy Gymnase 13 Aug 1868 La Périchole opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Variétés 6 Oct 1868 Suzanne et les deux vieillards (Suzanne and the Two Old Men) comedy 1 Gymnase 10 Oct 1868 Le bouquet comedy 1 Halévy Palais-Royal 23 Oct 1868 Vert-Vert opéra-comique 3 Charles Nuitter Offenbach Opéra-Comique 10 Mar 1869 La diva opéra-bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Bouffes 22 Mar 1869 Un contrat (A Contract) comedy 2 Vaudeville 22 Apr 1869 Homme à la clé (Man With the Key) vaudeville 1 Halévy Variétés 11 Aug 1869 Froufrou comedy 5 Halévy Gymnase 30 Oct 1869 Les brigands opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Variétés 10 Dec 1869 Tricoche et Cacolet vaudeville 5 Halévy Palais-Royal 6 Dec 1871 Madame attend Monsieur (Madame is Waiting for Monsieur) comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 8 Feb 1872 Nany comedy 4 Émile de Najac Comédie-Française 12 Apr 1872 Le réveillon (New Year's Eve) comedy 3 Halévy Palais-Royal 10 Sept 1872 Les sonnettes (The Bells) comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 15 Nov 1872 Le roi Candaule (King Candaule) vaudeville 1 Halévy Palais-Royal 9 Apr 1873 L'été de la Saint-Martin (Indian Summer) comedy 1 Halévy Comédie-Française Jul 1873 Toto chez Tata comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 25 Aug 1873 L'opéra aux Italiens (Opera for the Italians) comedy 1 Halévy and Busnach Variétés 12 Feb 1874 La petite marquise comedy 3 Halévy Variétés 13 Feb 1874 La mi-carême (Laetare Sunday) vaudeville 1 Halévy Palais-Royal 2 Apr 1874 L'ingénue comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 24 Sep 1874 La veuve (The Widow) comedy 3 Halévy Gymnase 5 Nov 1874 La boule comedy 4 Halévy Palais-Royal 24 Oct 1874 Carmen opéra-comique 4 Halévy (after Mérimée) Georges Bizet Opéra-Comique 3 Mar 1875 Le passage de Vénus (The Transit of Venus) comedy 1 Halévy Variétés 4 May 1875 La boulangère a des écus (The Baker has Money) opéra bouffe 3 Halévy Offenbach Variétés 19 Oct 1875 La Créole opéra comique 3 Albert Millaud Offenbach Bouffes 3 Nov 1875 Loulou comedy 1 Halévy Pal-Royal 31 Mar 1876 Le prince comedy 4 Halévy Pal-Royal 25 Nov 1876 La cigale (The Cricket) comedy 3 Halévy Variétés 6 Oct 1877 Le fandango ballet 1 Halévy and Louis Mérante Gaston Salvayre Opéra 26 Nov 1877 Le Je ne sais quoi (The What-do-you-call-it) vaudeville 1 Halévy Renaissance 21 Jan 1878 Le petit duc opéra-comique 3 Halévy Charles Lecocq Renaissance 25 Jan 1878 La cigarette comedy 1 Charles Narrey Gymnase 20 Apr 1878 Samuel Brohl comedy 5 Victor Cherbuliez Odéon 31 Jan 1879 Le mari de la débutante (The Debutante's Husband) comedy 4 Halévy Palais-Royal 5 Feb 1879 Le petit hôtel comedy 1 Halévy Comédie-Française 21 Feb 1879 La petite mademoiselle opéra-comique 3 Halévy Lecocq Renaissance 12 Apr 1879 Lolotte comedy 1 Halévy Vaudeville 4 Oct 1879 La petite mère comedy 3 Halévy Variétés 6 Mar 1880 Nina la tueuse (Nina the Killer) comedy 1 Jacques Redelsperger Gymnase 2 Oct 1880 Janot opéra-comique 3 Halévy Lecocq Renaissance 22 Jan 1881 La roussotte (The Redhead) vaudeville-opérette 3 Halévy and Millaud Hervé, Lecocq, Marius Boullard Variétés 26 Jan 1881 Phryné comedy 3 Gymnase 14 Feb 1881 Le mari à Babette (Babette's Husband) comedy 3 Philippe Gille Palais-Royal 31 Dec 1881 Madame le diable féerie-op 4 Arnold Mortier Gaston Serpette Renaissance 5 Apr 1882 Mam'zelle Nitouche comedy with music 3 Millaud Hervé Variétés 26 Jan 1883 Le nouveau régime comedy 1 Jules Prével Gymnase 11 May 1883 Ma camarade comedy 5 Gille Palais-Royal 9 Oct 1883 Manon opéra-comique 5 Gille Jules Massenet Opéra-Comique 19 Jan 1884 La cosaque (The Cossack-girl) comedy 3 Millaud Hervé Variétés 1 Feb 1884 La duchesse Martin comedy 1 Comédie-Française 16 May 1884 Rip (Rip Van Winkle) opéra-comique 3 Gille (after H. B. Farnie) Robert Planquette Folies-Dramatiques 11 Nov 1884 La bonne (The Maid) vaudeville 1 Gille Folies-Dramatiques 21 Nov 1884 La ronde du commissaire (Commissaire on Patrol) comedy 4 Gille Gymnase 27 Nov 1884 Les demoiselles Clochari comedy 3 Variétés 30 Jan 1886 Gotte comedy 4 Palais-Royal 2 Dec 1886 Décoré comedy 3 Variétés 27 Jan 1888 Pepa comedy 3 Louis Ganderax Comédie-Française 31 Oct 1888 Margot comedy 3 Comédie-Française 18 Jan 1890 Ma cousine comedy 3 Variétés 27 Oct 1890 Monsieur l'abbé comedy 5 Albert de Saint-Albin Palais-Royal 18 Nov 1891 Brevet supérieur (Higher Certificate) comedy 3 Variétés 13 Apr 1892 Kassya opéra-comique 4 Gille Léo Delibes, completed by Massenet Opéra-Comique 24 Mar 1893 Leurs gigolettes (Female Gigolos) comedy 4 Saint-Albin Palais-Royal 9 Nov 1893 Villégiature (Holiday Resort) comedy 1 Saint-Albin Vaudeville 15 Jan 1894 Miguel comedy 1 Trouville 17 Aug 1894 Panurge opéra-comique 3 Saint-Albin Planquette Gaîté 22 Nov 1895 Grosse fortune comedy 4 Comédie-Française 15 Feb 1896
Influence
The young Georges Feydeau sought Meilhac out and asked him to critique a play he had written. He recalled Meilhac as saying, "My boy, your play is stupid, but it is theatrical. You will be a man of the theatre".Gidel, p. 51 Feydeau modelled himself on Meilhac and two other predecessors: Eugène Labiche for characterisation, Alfred Hennequin for plotting, and Meilhac for polished dialogue, sounding elegant but natural.Pronko, p. 104
Notes, references and sources
Notes
Sources
External links
Categories: 1830 Births, 1897 Deaths, Writers From Paris, French Opera Librettists, Operetta Librettists, Members Of The Académie Française, French Musical Theatre Lyricists, 19th-century French Dramatists And Playwrights, Burials At Montmartre Cemetery, 19th-century French Male Writers, French Male Dramatists And Playwrights
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