New-York tribune., 1908-05-09
LUDOFIC H4LEVY DEAD.
French Dramatist and NOUehSt-
His Notable Career.
Paris, May s.-The death is announced OF Ludovic
aIevy, the dramatic author and novelist


Ludovic Haevy was one of the best known. the
most admired and the prolific OF the French
dramatists of his time. He was also a novelist of
unusual ability and popularity. AS writer Of
plays and opera books his name is inseparaby con-
nected with that of Henri Meilhac, with whom he
divided his work and his honors for many years
and with whose aid many of the best Of his works
were produced They authors. indeed. of nu-
merous works which have had so many years Of
almost uninterrupted popularity that it has by many
been forgotten this country at least, who wrote
them It to say that thousands of lovers of
operetta who know who wrote the book Of The
Mikado we'll If they had done it themselves
would find it hard to say who wrote the books Of
The Grand Duchess The Little Duke and
Carmen
Ludovic Halevy horn in Paris January 1,
1884 His father, Leon Haevy a writer of ability
on philosophy. history, poetry and the drama. His
uncle. Jacques Francois FromentaI Ellie Halevy.
the composer of La Juve and Bizet, the composer
of Carmen his cousin. He educated at
the Lycee Louis -Ie-Grand 1t was intended that
he should have diplomatic career. and for some
ten years he held positions in government offices.
There Ofenbach found him. He induced him TO
write some opera Hbrettos, which were successful.
While he remained in the service OF the govern
ment he preferred not to write under his own name
and used She pen name OF Jules Sevieres.' But he
soon left his office and devoted himself entirely to
literary and dramatic work and then he began TO
sign his real name. Alone he wrote ''Ba- a-CIan.
which had music by Ofenbach. and Rose ct
Rosette,' with music by Gray With VI. Battu he
wrote "L'Impresarip," adapted to music by Mozart.
and lie DocteUr Miracle which had music by
Bizet and Lecocq. With NJ. CremieUx he wrote
La Chansen de FortUnio' lie Pont des Soupirs''
and lie Roman Comique." all for Ofenbachs
music. and Les Faux Ems" which had music
by Leo Delibes
1t was in company with Meilhac that his best
pieces were written. Among them were La Belle
Helene, "Orphee aux Enters "Barbe Bleue,"
La Grande Duchesse" La Vie Parisienne." La
Pertchole," LIE Chateau Tote La Diva Les
Brisandes" and La BouIangere a des Ecus,' the
music for all these being composed by 0henbach;
carmen, with music by Beet, the book being
drawn from Prosper MertTnees novel, '.Nemea,
l. Amour Nenge and lie Fandango,' two ballet
pantonliaes; and lie Petit Due" ''Janot'' and La
Petite Mademoisele,' with music by Lecocq Some
OF these, such as Carmen, La Grande DUChesse''
and LIE Petit Due, are types OF the very highest
works in their respective kinds
This list from La Belle Helene" TO Carmen
certainly exhibits sufficient variety but in their
dramatic writing these authors displayed less
versatility. And II with no less success. They
wrote one-act plays ana fve-act plays, farces and
comedies Of manners. patheuc plays and emotional
plays, plays with morals and plays utterly desti-
tute of them The most famous, without doubt.
was 'Frou-Frou.' MS with Mile. DescIee in the
leading part, had $50 performances at the Gymnase
and then taken the Porte Saint Martin.
where Sarah Bernhardt played it one hundred
times. Augustin Daily produced it in this country,
and it has been played here tnnumerabIe times
in English, French and German. Other plays
which these two authors produced together were
lie Minuet de Danae,' Les Moulns a Vent
La Clef MeteIia lie Sgne de Nicoiet,'
Fanny Lear" LIE Bouquet" Madame Attend
lie Reyeillon,' Il Etc de Ia Saint Martin" La
Petite Marquse," "LIng6nue," LIE Passage de
Venus" La Boule.' La CigaIe' lie Prince"
lie Petit Hotel lie Mari de la Debutante," La
Petite Mere and La Roussotte,"
After some twenty years of association dra-
matte authors Halevy and MeiIhac began to do
their work each alone, TO the detriment of the
plays of both. But NJ HaIevy by this time
devoting himself fiction than the stage
Among these works were I'm Scandal La Fa-
mile Cardinal" Marcel" Liable Constantin,"
which passed through 159 editions and was after
ward dramatized. and "CriqUette.' He also
Il INVASION memories of the year 1870 and vari-
Gus series of Notes ct Souvenirs" and ''Redits de
Guerre," dealing with the days OF 1870 and 1871
In 1856 a vacancy occurred in the French Acad-
emy. and it seemed proper that it should be filed
either by NJ. Halevy by NJ. Meilhac. but their
work for the stage which entitled one or the other
to admission, was so inextricably interviewer that
it was difficult to decide 10 which the honor be-
longed It was finally awarded TO Halevy, on the
ground of the novels and other works which he
had produced in addition to the plays in which NJ
AIeilhac had had a hand. The latter, in his turn.
was made a member of the Academy a little more
than three years later. Halevy was also cheva-
lier of the Legion of Honor. having received the
decoration in 1864 being made officer in 1880 and
q commander in 1860.