Ludovic
A senior civil servant and co-librettist of Offenbach's comic opera, not a vampire enforcer.
The document exclusively details 'Orphée aux enfers,' a comic opera by Jacques Offenbach with words by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. In this text, 'Ludovic' refers strictly to the librettist Ludovic Halévy, who co-wrote the original 1858 work but was preoccupied with civil service duties during its finalization, resulting in the libretto being credited solely to Crémieux.
Lore & Background
Ludovic Halévy served as the co-author of the libretto for Jacques Offenbach's 'Orphée aux enfers' alongside Hector Crémieux. Two years prior to the opera's conception in 1858, Offenbach had confided his desire to satirize mythical heroes and gods to Halévy. However, by 1858, when the licensing laws were relaxed allowing for a larger cast, Halévy was preoccupied with his duties as a senior civil servant. Consequently, while he helped sketch out the initial concept for lampooning such characters, the final libretto was credited to Crémieux alone. The opera itself lampoons the ancient legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, portraying them not as divine figures but as a rustic violin teacher and his wife who are glad to be rid of one another.
Reader's Guide
He is described as a 'senior civil servant' whose preoccupation with government work meant he could not finish the final script for the 1858 production, leaving Hector Crémieux to take sole credit. His only connection to the opera's story is as a co-creator of the original satirical concept that mocked the gods of Olympus and Gluck's opera 'Orfeo ed Euridice'.
Did You Know?
- Because of Halévy's absence during the finalization process, the 1858 libretto was credited to Crémieux alone.
- The opera premiered on 21 October 1858 at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens as a two-act 'opéra bouffon'.
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