Personalities | Jacques-François-Fromental Halévy | Early Romantic | Opera

1799–1862, French

Jacques-François-Fromental Halévy, who was born in Paris, studied there with several composers – of whom the most influential was Cherubini. Success at the opera house was rather long in coming, however, and Halévy had to endure rejections and failures before scoring his first success with Clari (1828), which was written for the Spanish mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran (1808–36). Halévy’s next significant work did not appear for another seven years, but when it did, it was his masterpiece. The opera, La juive (‘The Jewess’, 1835) took its place among the fundamental works of French grand opéra and was praised at several levels by other composers. Berlioz admired its vivid orchestration, while Wagner lauded the ‘pathos of (its) high lyric tragedy’ and Halévy’s skill at recreating the fifteenth-century background of religious persecution with a minimum of detail. Halévy went on to show remarkable versatility as a composer, moving easily between opéra comique with L’éclair (‘The Brief Meeting’, 1835) or Le lazzarone (‘The Vagabond’, 1844) and grand opéra with Guido et Ginevra (1838) or Charles VI (1844). Although Berlioz believed that he was at his best in light opera, Halévy was one of the most important proponents of French grand opéra.

Sounds Familiar

‘Rachel’
In this tenor aria from Act IV of Halévy’s La juive, the Jewish goldsmith Eléazar sings of his fearful dilemma: should he let his daughter Rachel die at the hands of her persecutor Cardinal de Brogni, or should he save her by revealing that she is, in reality, de Brogni’s daughter?

Introduction | Early Romantic | Opera
Personalities | Luigi Lablache | Early Romantic | Opera
Techniques | French Grand Opéra | Early Romantic | Opera

AUTHORITATIVE

An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...

CURATED

Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.

Rock, A Life Story

Rock, A Life Story

The ultimate story of a life of rock music, from the 1950s to the present day.

David Bowie

David Bowie

Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers his life, music, art and movies, with a sweep of incredible photographs.