Charles Alexandre Lecocq

Background

Alexandre Charles Lecocq was born on the 3rd of June, 1832 in Paris, France.

Education

Alexandre Charles Lecocq studied under François Bazin, François Benoist, and Fromental Halévy, winning the first prize for harmony in 1850, and the second prize for fugue in 1852.

Career

Alexandre Charles Lecocq first gained notice by sharing with Georges Bizet the first prize for an operetta in a competition instituted by Jacques Offenbach. His opéra comique, Le Docteur Miracle, was performed at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens in 1857. After that he wrote constantly for theatres, but produced nothing especially successful until Fleur-de-thé (1868), which ran for more than a hundred nights. All his previous successes were cast into the shade by La fille de Madame Angot (Brussels, 1872), which in Paris in 1873 was performed for more than 400 nights consecutively, and which has since gained and retained enormous popularity. After 1873, Lecocq produced a large number of operettas, though he never equalled his early triumph in La fille de Madame Angot.

Achievements

• Lecocq's operetta, Le Docteur miracle, was performed at the Bouffes Parisiens in 1857. After that he wrote constantly for theatres, but produced nothing worthy of mention until Fleur de the (1868), which ran for more than a hundred nights. Les Cent vierges (1872) was favourably received also, but all his previous successes were cast into the shade by La Fille de Madame Angot (Paris, 1873; London, 1873), which was performed for 400 nights consecutively, and has since gained and retained enormous popularity.
  
  Among the best of his pieces are Girofle-Girofla (Paris and London, 1874); Les Pres Saint-Gervais (Paris and London, 1874); La Petite Mariee (Paris, 1875; London, 1876, revived as The Scarlet Feather, 1897); Le Petit Due (Paris, 1878; London, as The Little Duke, 1878); La Petite Mademoiselle (Paris, 1879; London, 1880); Le Jour et la Nuit (Paris, 1881; London, as Manola, 1882); LeCceur et la main (Paris, 1882; London, as Incognita, 1893); La Princesse des Canaries (Paris, 1883; London, as Pepita, 1888). In 1899 a ballet by Lecocq, entitled Le Cygne, was staged at the Opera Comique, Paris; and in 1903 Feftowas produced at Brussels.

Works

More photos

• book

  • La Petite Mariée: Opéra Bouffe en Trois Actes (Classic Reprint) (French Edition)

Connections

Friend:

Camille Saint-Saëns