The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-23 00:00:00

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M. HALEVY.
For the last fifteen years this great eompdser has
enjoyed a high reputation in England, whether from
the success of his works in France, or from their re,
production on our own stage. Circumstances have,
however, lately combined on all sides to attract ge-
neral attention towards him. The French comp sers
have lately sup,Tseded the Italian maestri, and at the
opening- of the theatrical campaign in London this
year two of his minor works were given with !Sigma
success. at the St James's Theatre; another was no
less successful at the Princess's ; and whilst the
Covent Garden establishment announced the produc-
tion of two of his serious operas, it was found likewise
that he had been engaged, in conjunction with M.
Scribe, in writing another, of the most itnpor ant and
promising character, on the subject of Shakspere's
Tempest. 00-the eve of the production of this work,
on account of its authors and of its actors equally the
object of general curiosity, some account of the life
of M. Halevy cannot fail to prove interesting.
Fromental Halevy was born in Paris at the begin-
ning of the present century. His father was a Ger-
man, his mother a French lady. As the boy showed
a precocious understanding, and his father, like most
of his countrymen, was devotedly fond of philosophy
and belles lettres, the young Halevy was at an un-
usually early age sent to an academy. However,, a
few lessons on the piano-forte having been given him,
with a view to employ his leisure moments, and to
vary and relieve his attention nn
.invincible love of
the musical art absorbed all his thoughts. His father
finding at last that he could not surmount this pro
penalty, wisely gave way, and placed his son, at ten
years of age, at the great Conservatoire. There, so
rapid was his progress, that being only twelve years
of age, he won the grand prize of harmony against all
his seniors. Soon afterwards he had the still greater
good fortune of attracting the attention of one
whose name and works will endure as long as
the art of music—at thirteen he studied composition
under Cherubini. ally two years afterwards,
when that great master was obliged to visit London
(in 1815), so high an opinion did be entertain of the
young Halevy, that he chose him as his temporary:sub-
stitute to:direct his class at the Conservatoire. From
this moment the great object of ambition with the young
artist was to follow the example of Mozart, and visit

the schools of Italy. A new triumph afforded him
this opportunity. In 1819, having won the grand
prize for composition at the Institute, he was sent by
the Academy of France to Rome. He spent three
years in Italy, travelling from one great musical city
to the other, examining the works of such old
composers as Marcello and Palestrina, studying
under such renowned masters as Galieri and
Zingarelli. From. Italy he went to Vienna, pur-
posely to visit one who was the peculiar object
of his reverence—one who like him had been
a favourite pupil of Cherubini—Beethoven. This
sublime composer received him kindly, but gave him
a melancholy proof that he had lost one—his most
perfect and exquisite sense—that of hearing; for, to
give him a sample of his inspiration he played on a
harpsichord with broken strings, and so totally out of
tune as to produce nothing but clashing discords,
although the unconscious performer did not per-
perceive it. The time was now come when
the young Haley,' must return to Paris, and
shsw " the mettle of his pasture." His first compo-
sition Ives Pygmalion, a work which he offered to
the Grande Academie de Musique. It was immedi-
ately accepted, and its combination of Italian melody
with German harmony created a great sensation
amongst the critics. Political troubles, however,
soon interfered to prevent the production of his opera.
Halevy resumed his studies until 1827 ; at the be-
ginning of this year he gave the Opera Comique a
work entitled Phideas. Its success was such that
another was immediately demanded. This was the
Artisan, which fully sustained the opinion enter-
tained of his abilities.

Passing over minor works, we most. particularly
notice an opera which he subsequently gave at the
Italien in 1829. This was an Italian opera buffo,
entitled 11 Dilettante. It was performed for two con
89cutive seasons with immense success by Malibran,
Zuchelli, Donzelli, &c. In 1830, he produced at
the Academie de Musique, a ballet, Manon l'Escaut,
and in 1831, at the same theatre, a ballet opera, La
Tentation, which was performed nut only in Paris,
but in all parts of Europe; its catching, sprightly,
popular, and highly original melodies being repro-
duced on every hand-organ then manufactured, for
the peripatetic musicians of the streets. In 1832,
Herold having suddenly died in all the flush cf his
triumphs, leaving his score of Ludovie imperfect,
llalevy undertook the pimps duty of flni,hing and
producing it on the stage,; and this year he like-
wise composed Les Souvenirs de la Fleur, for the
re-appearance of the celebrated Martin. In 1835
he produced,;at the Academie de Musique, an opera
of the highest pretensions—La Juive, whose suc-
cess was such that it was immediately brought out
in every capital in Europe. As if to show the ver •
satility of his genius, he next produced, at the Opera
Comique, L' Eclair, which has remained ever since
one of the brightest gems of that theatre's repertoire.
In 1837 it was the tarn of the Academie de Mu-
sique to enjoy one of his chef ceuvres. There he
produced his grand opera, Guido et Ginevra, of
which one song, " Apres la Iclte," has become the
clieval de bataille of every tenor who has since ap-
peared in the musical world. He successively
produced works whose titles alone suffice for an
eulogy. In 1838, a successful piece at the Opera
Comique; in 1842, La Reine de Chypre, at the
Academie; in 1843, Charles VI., at the same
theatre. In 1844 he produced the Guitarero, and in
1846 Les Mousquetaires de la Reine, at the Opera
Comique. , In 1848, owing to those revolutions with-
out precedent which then perilled the very existence
of society, and seemed to tender every enjoyment
and every solace impossible in Paris, at the earnest
prayers of the director of the Opera Comique, whose
theatre had been nearly forsaken, he gave Le Val
d' Andorre, which was performed 165 nights running,
and restored at once, and in spite of every inauspicious
circumstance, the vogue and fortunes of that theatre.
Last year he -was equally successful at the Opera
Comique with La Fee aux Roses, of which a transla-
tion is at this moment performed in London. Haley),
has long since received the highest rewards his country
could confer on him. At the Court of Louis Philippe
he enjoyed the highest favour. The unfortunate
Duke of• Orleans, and his noble-minded widow, the
Duchess of Orleans, had placed him at the head of
their Chapelle. The Conservatoire conferred on him
the title of Professeur de haute Composition. He is
an officer of the Legion of Honour, and of a number
of foreign orders conferred on him by the different
sovereigns who have listened to his compositions, and
he enjoys the highest title that can reward exalted
merit in France, that of Member of the Institute.