Frédéric Barbier (15 November 1829 – 12 February 1889) was a 19th-century French composer.

Biography

Frédéric Barbier was born in

Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

, and was the son of Félix Henri Barbier and Adélaide Josephine Rosalie Rousseau. Barbier pursued a career in literary studies at

Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...

College, while taking lessons in

solfège In music, solfège (British English or American English , ) or solfeggio (; ), also called sol-fa, solfa, solfeo, among many names, is a mnemonic used in teaching aural skills, Pitch (music), pitch and sight-reading of Western classical music, W ...

, piano,

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

and

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

with

Henry Darondeau Henry Benoît François Darondeau (born as "d'Arondeau") (28 February 1779 – 30 July 1865) was a 19th-century French composer and piano teacher. Life Henry Darondeau was born in Strasbourg, Alsace, the son of the Munich-born French composer Ben ...

, an organist in one of the churches of the city. His father, an engineer officer, wanted to see him join the

École Polytechnique (, ; also known as Polytechnique or l'X ) is a ''grande école'' located in Palaiseau, France. It specializes in science and engineering and is a founding member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The school was founded in 1794 by mat ...

, of which he himself had been a pupil. But in 1848, the

De Gasperi V Cabinet The fifth De Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 23 May 1948 until 27 January 1950, a total of 614 days, or 1 year, 8 months and 5 days. Party breakdown Beginning of term * Christian Democracy (DC): Prime minister, 1 deput ...

had created a new school, and the young Barbier preferred to compete for the latter and was admitted. This school was disbanded soon after and he began to study law. But music attracted him more and more. In 1852, Frédéric Barbier had already written and presented in Bourges a small one-act

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

, ''Le Mariage de Colombine'', but considered moving to Paris. Presented by influential figures to Edmond Seveste, then director of the

Théâtre Lyrique The Théâtre Lyrique () was one of four opera companies performing in Paris during the middle of the 19th century (the other three being the Paris Opera, Opéra, the Opéra-Comique, and the Théâtre-Italien (1801–1878), Théâtre-Italien). ...

, he met

Adolphe Adam Adolphe Charles Adam (; 24 July 1803 – 3 May 1856) was a French composer, teacher and music critic. A prolific composer for the theatre, he is best known today for his ballets ''Giselle'' (1841) and ''Le corsaire'' (1856), his operas ''Le post ...

. Thanks to his advice and lessons of the latter, his first work ''Une Nuit à Séville'',a one-act opéra comique, was played at the Théâtre Lyrique on 14 September 1855 and was warmly welcomed. Two months later, on 21 November, Frédéric Barbier gave the same theatre a new one act work entitled ''Rose et Narcissus'', in which was also very successful. Within 20 years, Barbier had over sixty more or less important works presented in every small opera house of Paris and in cafés-chantant, most of them in one act and approaching more and more the genre of comic operettas. He composed for the Eldorado, the Alcazar, the Ba-ta-clan, the Folies-Belleville, the

Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord The Bouffes du Nord is a theatre at 37 bis, boulevard de la Chapelle, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris located near the Gare du Nord. It has been listed since 1993 as a ''monument historique'' by the French Ministry of Culture. History left, ...

, etc., a great many number of operettas, saynètes, pantomimes and ballets. Besides his opera production, Barbier wrote about 300 duets, romances, vocal ''mélodies'', many dance music pieces, concert marches and orchestral fantasies on opera motifs, choirs for men voice, galops, valses, mazurkas, polkas, etc. In 1867, he was conductor at Théâtre International, and from 1873, he directed the orchestra at l' Alcazar d'Été, a position he shared with Henry Litolff. He collaborated as a critic to some small newspapers such as ''L'Avenir musical'' (1853), and ''L'Indépendance dramatique''.

Main works

Operettas and opéras comiques

*1852: ''Le Mariage de Colombine'', one-act opéra comique, Théâtre de Bourges *1855: ''Une Nuit à Séville'', one-act opéra comique, libretto by

Charles Nuitter Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

and Beaumont, Théâtre-Lyrique, 14 September *1855: ''Rose et Narcisse'', one-act opéra comique, libretto by Charles Nuitter and Beaumont, Théâtre-Lyrique, 21 November *1858: ''Le Pacha'', one-act operetta, libretto by Charles Nuitter, Folies-Nouvelles, March *1858: ''Francastor'', one-act operetta, libretto by Gustave Labottière and Achille Eyraud, Folies-Nouvelles, 22 May *1858: ''Le Page de Madame Malborough'', one-act operetta, libretto by E. Vierne (

Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...

), Folies-Nouvelles, 28 October *1858: ''Le Faux Faust'', opérette parodie in 3 acts omposed under the pseudonym Stephan Folies-Nouvelles, November *1859: ''Le Docteur Tam-Tam'', operetta bouffe in 1 act, libretto by Francis Tourte, Folies-Nouvelles, 5 March *1859: ''Monsieur Deschalumeaux'', two-act operetta, libretto by Gustave Perée, Théâtre Déjazet, October *1861: ''Panne aux Airs'', parody in 1 act, libretto by Clairville,

Théâtre Déjazet The Théâtre Déjazet () is a theatre on the boulevard du Temple (popularly known as the 'Boulevard du Crime, boulevard du crime') in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, 3rd arrondissement of Paris, France. It was founded in 1770 by Charles X of Fr ...

, 30 March *1861: ''Flamberge au vent'', one-act operetta, libretto by Charles Nuitter and Séjour (Victor Marcou) *1862: ''Versez, marquis !'', one-act operetta, libretto by Alexis Bouvier and Edouard Prével, Folies-Marigny, 19 April *1862: ''La Cigale et la Fourmi'', one-act operetta bouffe, libretto by Achille Eyraud (1821-1882), Folies-Marigny, 28 May *1862: ''Le Loup et l'Agneau'', one-act operetta, libretto by Étienne Hippolyte Chol de Clercy and Hippolyte Messant, Théâtre Déjazet, October *1863: ''Madame Pygmalion'', one-act operetta bouffe, libretto by Jules Adenis and Francis Tourte, Bouffes-Parisiens, 6 February *1863: ''les Trois Normandes'', one-act operetta, libretto by Pol Mercier, Folies-Marigny, 21 March *1863: ''La Gamine du village'', opérette en 1 acte, livret d'Alexis Bouvier (Folies-Marigny, 15 juillet 1863) *1863: ''Simon Terre-Neuve'', one-act operetta, Théâtre Déjazet *1864: ''Deux permissions de dix heures'', one-act operetta, libretto by Pol Mercier and Henry Currat, Théâtre Déjazet, May *1864: ''Achille chez Chiron'', one-act operetta, libretto by

Amédée de Jallais Amédée de Jallais (17 December 1826 – 31 January 1909) was a 19th-century French playwright, operetta librettist and chansonnier. Biography The son of a lieutenant colonel in the guards, he studied at the College Bourbon then entered in th ...

and Vulpian, Folies-Marigny, 14 October *1864: ''Le Miroir'', one-act operetta, libretto by Charles Nuitter, October *1864: ''Un Souper chez Mademoiselle Contat'', one-act operetta, libretto by

Armand Liorat Armand Liorat was the pen name of Georges Degas (10 January 1837 – 8 August 1898), a French playwright and librettist. Life and career Liorat was born in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, the son of Pierre André Constant Degas, a lawyer, and his wife Rose ...

, Eldorado *1865: ''Un Congrès de modistes'', opérette bouffe in 1 act, libretto by Marc Michel and

Laurencin Marie Laurencin (31 October 1883 – 8 June 1956) was a French painter and printmaker. She became an important figure in the Parisian avant-garde as a member of the Cubists associated with the Section d'Or. Biography Laurencin was born in Paris ...

, Bouffes-Parisiens, 16 February *1865: ''La Nourrice d'Hercule'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1866: ''Les Oreilles de Midas'', one-act opéra comique, libretto by Nérée Desarbres and Charles Nuitter, Fantaisies-Parisiennes, 21 April *1866: ''Don Juan de fantaisie'', four-act operetta, Fantaisies-Parisiennes, 9 June *1866: ''Une Femme qui a perdu sa clef'', one-act operetta, libretto by Léonce and Alexandre de Bar, Bouffes-Parisiens, 21 October *1867: ''Les Légendes de Gavarni'', three-act opéra comique, libretto by Hippolyte Lefebvre, Bouffes-Parisiens, 29 January *1867: ''Gervaise'', one-act opéra comique, libretto by Hippolyte Lefebvre and Alexis Bouvier, Théâtre-International, 17 June *1867: ''Le Nez de carton'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1867: ''L'Orchestre des Danoises'', operetta, Alcazar *1868: ''Le Soldat malgré lui'', two-act opéra comique, libretto by Henri Chivot and

Alfred Duru Henri Alfred Duru (22 November 1829 – 28 December 1889) was a 19th-century French playwright and operetta librettist who collaborated on more than 40 librettos for the leading French composers of operetta:Alfred Duru. In: ''The New Grove Dictio ...

, Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes, 19 October *1868: ''Le Souper d'Arlequin'', one-act opérette bouffe, libretto by Jules Perrin, Eldorado, 28 November *1869: ''Balladine et Casquenfer'', one-act opérette bouffe, libretto by Charles Blondelet and Félix Baumaine Eldorado, 15 February *1869: ''Faust et Marguerite'', saynète bouffe in 1 act, libretto by Félix Baumaine and Charles Blondelet, Ambassadeurs, 23 July *1869: ''Mam'zelle Pierrot'', one-act operetta, libretto by Amédée de Jallais and

Henry de Kock Paul Henry de Kock, better known as Henry de Kock, (25 April 1819 – 14 April 1892) was a 19th-century French playwright, novelist, and chansonnier, famous for his salacious novels. Biography The son of Paul de Kock, he wrote feuilletons whic ...

, Folies-Bergère, 26 September *1869: ''Don Férocio'', saynète bouffe in 1 act, libretto by Charles Blondelet and Félix Baumaine, Eldorado, 23 October *1869: ''Fermé le dimanche'', saynète in 1 act, libretto by Étienne Hippolyte Chol de Clercy, Eldorado, 13 December *1869: ''Le Beau Chasseur'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1869: ''Un Mariage au gros sel'', one-act operetta, libretto by Armand Liorat, Eldorado, 10 July *1869: ''Millionnaire!'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1870: ''Un Procès en séparation'', saynète in 1 act, lyrics by Hippolyte Bedeau, Eldorado, 12 January *1870: ''L'Acteur omnibus'', fantaisie lyrique in 1 act, libretto by Jules Perrin and Jules Pacra, Eldorado, 12 March *1870: ''Lucrèce d'Orgeat'', parody in 1 act, Eldorado *1870: ''On demande un pitre'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1871: ''Un Lendemain de noces'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1872: ''Les Points jaunes'', saynète in 1 act, libretto by Jules Pacra and Fétré, Eldorado, 17 August *1872: ''La Bonne de ma tante'', saynète bouffe in 1 act, libretto by Hippolyte Bedeau, Eldorado *1872: ''Une cause célèbre'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1873: ''Le Baromètre parisien'', monologue by A. Philibert and Alphonse Siégel, Eldorado *1873: ''Le Coq est mort !'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1873: ''M'ame Nicolas'', one-act operetta, libretto by Louis Gaston Villemer, Eldorado *1874: ''Mam'zelle Rose'', one-act operetta, libretto by

Adrien Decourcelle Adrien Decourcelle (28 October 1821 – 6 August 1892) was a 19th-century French writer and playwright. Pierre-Henri-Adrien Decourcelle wrote about 70 plays between 1845 and 1855, comedies and Comédie en vaudeville written most of the time in ...

and

Eugène Bercioux Eugène Bercioux (1822–1898) was a 19th-century French playwright and poet. Works *1847: ''Les Arabesques'', poems, 1847 *1850: ''Nisus et Euryale'', one-act comédie en vaudeville, with Léon Battu *1852: ''Mam'sell'Rose'', one-act comédie ...

, after their comédie en vaudeville,

Théâtre des Variétés The Théâtre des Variétés () is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7–8, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1974. History The theatre owed its creation to Mademoiselle Montans ...

*1874: ''Monsieur l'Alcade'', one-act operetta, Eldorado *1875: ''Pierrot et la Belle enchantée'', one-act operetta, Eldorado, 22 May *1875: ''Un Scandale à l'Alcazar'', bouffonnerie musicale in 1 act, libretto by M. Duvert, Alcazar d'été, May *1875: ''Les Deux Choristes'', one-act operetta, Eldorado, 11 September *1875: ''Le Champagne de ma tante'', one-act operetta, libretto by Hippolyte Bedeau, Eldorado *1875: ''La Fermière et son garçon'', one-act operetta, libretto by Auguste Jouhaud, Eldorado *1875: ''La Fête de Madame Denis'', one-act operetta, libretto by Jules de Rieux and Louis Gaston Villemer, Alcazar d'été *1875: ''Marion de l'Orme'', parody, Eldorado *1876: ''Les Cent mille francs du ténor'', one-act operetta *1877: ''La Baronne de Haut-Castel'', one-act operetta, libretto by Laurencin, Eldorado *1877: ''Le Carnaval des épiciers'', three-act opéra comique, Bouffes-du-Nord, 6 April *1878: ''Les Deux Parfaits Notaires'', one-act operetta, libretto by

Louis Péricaud Louis Jean Péricaud (10 June 1835, La Rochelle – 12 November 1909, Paris) was a 19th-century French stage actor, chansonnier, playwright, theatre historian and theatre director. He was the father of actress Berthe Jalabert (1858–c.1935) and ...

and Louis Gaston Villemer, Bouffes-Parisiens *1879: ''Le Verrou'', one-act operetta, libretto by Louis Battaille, Eldorado, 31 October *1880: ''La Noce à Suzon'', one-act operetta, libretto by Jouhaud and Louis Gaston Villemer, Alcazar d'été *1880: ''Atchi!'', bouffonnerie musicale in 1 act, libretto by Hermil and Numès, Eldorado *1881: ''Le Supplice de Tantale'', one-act operetta, libretto by E. Durafour * ''La Chaumière indienne'', one-act opéra comique * ''Corinne'', three-act opéra comique * ''Les Incroyables'', three-act opéra bouffe * ''La Poupée automate'', one-act operetta * ''La Sainte Catherine'', one-act operetta, Eldorado * ''La Veuve Omphale'', one-act operetta

Ballets

*1859: ''Le Grand roi d'Yvetot'', three-act vaudeville-pantomime, libretto by Louis-Émile Vanderburch and Albert Guinon, Théâtre Déjazet, December *1875: ''Les Pifferari'', ballet, Alcazar d'été, May * ''La Balle enchantée'', pantomime (Eldorado) * ''Les Cascades de Pierrot'', pantomime (Eldorado) * ''Le Trésor de Cassandre'', pantomime (Eldorado)

Mélodies

* ''La Révolte des noirs'', lyrics by Francis Tourte * ''Le Roi David'', lyrics by Francis Tourte * ''Toinon'', lyrics by Francis Tourte * ''Tout ça c'est à moi'', lyrics by Francis Tourte

External links

Frédéric Barbier, un compositeur d'opérettes
o
Vocalises.net

o
http://www.artlyriquefr

Le petit monde
on Gallica
Frédéric Barbier
on data.bnf.fr {{DEFAULTSORT:Barbier, Frederic 1829 births 1889 deaths 19th-century French classical composers French ballet composers French male classical composers French operetta composers Musicians from Metz 19th-century French male musicians