Image Source: Wikipedia

F. Halévy

Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy (French: [fʁɔmɑ̃tal alevi]; 27 May 1799 – 17 March 1862), was a French opera composer, widely regarded in his lifetime as one of the central figures of 19th-century French music.

A student of Luigi Cherubini, he achieved his first major triumph with La Juive (1835), a cornerstone of the grand opéra repertoire, and which Gustav Mahler considered one of the greatest operas ever written. The 368th performance of La Juive inaugurated the new Paris opera house, the Palais Garnier, in 1875. Halévy's bust stands on the façade, with the inscription "Poésie lyrique" above it.

During the following two decades, Halévy became a leading presence on the Parisian stage, contributing more than 30 operas including grand opéra, opéra-comique, and opéra-lyrique.

Celebrated for uniting melodic invention with learned craftsmanship, Halévy was considered the leader of the French school; the greatest French musician of the modern dramatic school; and (with Daniel Auber) the most important French composer of serious opera since Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Many of his works were mainstays of the Opéra and Opéra-Comique for decades. L'Eclair (1835) was performed more than 200 times until 1899; La Reine de Chypre (1841) 152 times by 1879; Les Mousquetaires de la Reine (1846) 200 times by 1865; and Le Val d'Andorre, his second-most popular work after La Juive, 334 times.

Other notable successes included Le Dilettante d'Avignon (1829): 119 performances in Paris; La Tentation (1832): 102 performances; La Fée aux Roses (1849): 100 performances; and Jaguarita l'Indienne (1855), the Théâtre-Lyrique's longest running success to that point, 124 performances.

Despite much acclaim, Halévy's reputation waned after his death. By the 20th century, only La Juive remained in the repertoire.

Halévy's works have begun to re-emerge: La Reine de Chypre was revived in concert by the Palazzetto Bru Zane and awarded Gramophone’s Opera Recording of the Year (2018). Other modern revivals include Charles VI (1843) in Compiègne in 2005; Clari (1828) in Zurich, 2008, with Cecilia Bartoli; La Magicienne (1858) in Montpellier, 2011; Le Dilettante d'Avignon in Avignon, 2014; L'Éclair in Geneva, and La Tempesta in Wexford, both 2022.

Birth and Death Data: Born former 7th arrondissement of Paris (one of the twelve administrative districts of Paris, France, before 1860), Died 1862 (Nice (city and commune in Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1900 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

Notes: Name also appears in Victor ledgers as J. F. E. Halévy.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-46 of 46 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 30469 12-in. 4/21/1910 Se oppressi ognor José Mardones Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 98096 12-in. 9/27/1923 Il va venir Rosa Ponselle Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia W98264 12-in. 4/27/1926 Rachel! Quand du Seigneur la grace tutelaire Charles Hackett Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 36322 10-in. approximately 1913 Rachel, Quand du Seigneur Louis Goldsteen Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 44687 10-in. approximately October 1916 Rachel, quand du Seigneur Mme. Zanco di Primo Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 59669 12-in. 1920 Rachil (ראַכיל) William Schwartz Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 536 Not documented approximately January 1911 L'Ebrea Paola Koralek Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 3598 10-in. 2/23/1915 Recha, als Gott dich einst zur Tochter mir gegeben Jacques Urlus Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 6578 10-in. 1/21/1919 L'eclair : Romance Peerless Orchestra Instrumental ensemble composer  
Edison 7447 10-in. 7/13/1920 Romance Kitty Berger Harp-zither solo composer  
Gramophone 347s 12-in. 1907 Er kommt zurück Berta Morena Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 1322c 12-in. 1907 Se oppressi ognor Andrés de Segurola Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 1326c 12-in. approximately 1907 Maledizione Andrés de Segurola Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 2339c 12-in. 9/1/1911 Recha, als Gott dich einst zur Tochter Jacques Urlus Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 3716L 10-in. approximately 1906 Arie kardinála Emil Pollert Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 7484L 10-in. 1908 Rahil ty mnie dana I. S. Vasilevich Tenor vocal solo, with piano composer  
Gramophone 7568b 10-in. 1905 Rachele allor che iddio Gino Martinez-Patti Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX168 12-in. 1/14/1928 Cavatine : Si a la rigueur Élie Cohen ; Raybaud Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX1443 12-in. 12/12/1930 Air d'Eléazar: Rachel, quand du Seigneur la grâce tutélaire Eugène Bigot ; Georges Thill Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WL2255 10-in. 5/5/1930 Pas de beauté pareille Armand Narçon Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WL2283 10-in. 5/13/1930 Chanson du chevrier Élie Cohen ; Lucien Fugère Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
(Results 26-46 of 46 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Halévy, F.," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102723.

Halévy, F.. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102723.

"Halévy, F.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102723

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.