Delibes, (Clément Philibert) Léo

Delibes, (Clément Philibert) Léo (b St Germain-du-Val, nr. Le Mans, 1836; d Paris, 1891). Fr. composer and organist. Org., St Pierre de Chaillot, 1853–62. Became acc. at Théâtre Lyrique, 1853. First operetta, Deux Sous de Charbon, 1855, led to series of popular short works in this genre. 2nd chorusmaster at Opéra 1865. Wrote ballets Coppélia (1870) and Sylvia (1876), and 3 works for the Opéra-Comique, Le Roi l'a dit (1873), Jean de Nivelle (1880), and Lakmé (1883). A 4-act opera, Kassya, was left unfinished, completed by Massenet, and staged 1893. Wrote incidental mus. for Le Roi s'amuse (1882) and 15 songs, best-known being Les Filles de Cadiz. Org., St Jean-St François, 1862–71. Prof. of comp., Paris Cons. 1881. Name frequently misspelt ‘Délibes’.