Charles Lecocq

Alexandre Charles Lecocq (born June 3, 1832 in Paris ; † October 24, 1918 there ) was a French operetta composer .

Life

Lecocq was one of five children from a poor family. He was disabled and dependent on crutches since childhood. From 1849 he studied at the same time as Bizet and Saint-Saëns at the Paris Conservatory of harmony with Bazin , composition with Halévy and - despite his disability, not without success - organ with Benoist . The musical public first became aware of Lecocq when he and Bizet won first prize for the operetta Le docteur Miracle in a competition advertised by Offenbach in 1856 . This award determined his further career, as from then on Lecocq dedicated himself to the light and pleasing musical genre. His greatest success was the operetta La Fille de Madame Angot , which is still a classic of the operetta repertoire today.

In total, Lecocq wrote more than 50 operettas and over 100 songs.

Lecocq's music is rich in melodies and pleasing. It was based on the respective musical taste. It contains theatrical effects as well as pronounced lyrical roles. Lecocq himself called some of his more demanding operettas opéras comiques .

Works (selection)

Le Docteur miracle , 1857
La fleur du thé , 1868
Les Cent Vierges , 1872
La Fille de Madame Angot , Paris and London, 1873
Giroflé-Girofla , Brussels 1874
Les Prés Saint-Gervais , Paris and London, 1874
La Petite Mariée , Paris, 1875
Le Petit Duc , Paris and London 1878
La Camargo (Libretto: Eugène Leterrier and Albert Vanloo), opéra comique 3 acts (November 20, 1878 Paris, Théâtre Renaissance)
La Petite Mademoiselle , Paris, 1879
Le Jour et la Nuit , Paris, 1881
Le Coeur et la main , Paris, 1882
La Princesse des Canaries , Paris, 1883

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Lecocq, Charles
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Lecocq, Alexandre Charles (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	French operetta composer
DATE OF BIRTH	June 3, 1832
PLACE OF BIRTH	Paris
DATE OF DEATH	October 24, 1918
Place of death	Paris