The renowned composer, Clément Philibert Léo Delibes, was born on February 21, 1836 in Saint-Germain du val. His musical education started in 1847 at the Paris Conservatoire, focusing on composition under Adolphe Adam and vocal training in 1848. Delibes worked as an accompanist and chorus master for the Théâtre-Lyrique before joining the Paris Opéra in 1864 as second chorus master. He also served as an organist at Pierre de Chaillot during 1865 to 1871 and married Léontine Estelle Denain in 1871. Delibes' first stage work, Deux sous de charbon, premiered at the Follies Nouvelles in 1856, followed by the composition of light operas and vaudevilles for the next 15 years. A successful cantata, Alger, for Napoleon III led to his first ballet, La Source, in 1866 with Ludwig Minkus. Delibes then composed a waltz, Valse, ou pas des fleurs, which accompanied Soir de Fête with more than 250 performances held. His most exceptional ballet, Sylvia, in 1876, was considered the best ballet music before Tchaikovsky. Delibes also worked as a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire in 1881 and composed six dances for the production of Le Roi s’Amuse in 1882. He died in Paris on January 16, 1891, having written three operas, including the popular Lakmé in 1883.
