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 1-25 of 46 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]460 7-in. 10/26/1900 Call me thine own Frank Badollet ; Jean Moeremans Flute and saxophone duet composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1061 7-in. 10/25/1901 Call me thine own Jules Levy Cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1061 10-in. 10/25/1901 Call me thine own Jules Levy Cornet solo composer  
Victor C-2975 12-in. 1/2/1906 Call me thine own Charles D'Almaine ; Darius Lyons Flute and violin duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-8494 12-in. 12/17/1909 Rachele, allor che Iddio Nicola Zerola Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-11023 10-in. 9/27/1911 L'eclair Instrumental Trio Instrumental trio composer  
Victor B-13517 10-in. 7/3/1913 Rachele, allor che iddio Alberto Amadi Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-23742 12-in. 2/18/1920 Call me thine own Mabel Garrison Soprano vocal solo, with violin and orchestra composer  
Victor C-24461 12-in. 9/14/1920 Rachel! Quand du Seigneur la grâce tutélaire Enrico Caruso Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-29019 10-in. 11/22/1923 Call me thine own Clement Barone ; Alexander Schmidt Violin and flute duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-31354 12-in. 11/25/1924 Der elbershter heiliger Gott Dmitri Dobkin Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-31363 12-in. 12/3/1924 Que ma voix tremblante Giovanni Martinelli Tenor vocal solo, with harp and orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-31363 12-in. 6/22/1925 Que ma voix tremblante Giovanni Martinelli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-31364 12-in. 12/3/1924 Rachel quand du Seigneur Giovanni Martinelli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-31364 12-in. 6/22/1925 Rachel, quand du Seigneur Giovanni Martinelli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-35165 10-in. 6/1/1926 Instrumental combinations, no. 3 Victor Orchestra Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-35166 10-in. 6/1/1926 Instrumental combinations, no. 4 Victor Orchestra Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-37862 10-in. 3/22/1927 Si la rigueur Ezio Pinza Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-37865 10-in. 3/22/1927 Vous qui du Dieu vivant Ezio Pinza Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-49015 12-in. 12/24/1928 O Dieu, Dieu de nos pères Giovanni Martinelli Tenor vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-49016 12-in. 12/24/1928 Si trahison ou perfidie Giovanni Martinelli ; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra ; Giulio Setti Tenor vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra composer  
Victor CS-066760 12-in. 9/11/1941 La juive, part 1 Jan Peerce ; Wilfrid Pelletier ; Dorothy Sarnoff ; Victor Symphony Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with vocal chorus and orchestra composer  
Victor CS-066761 12-in. 9/11/1941 La juive, part 2 Jan Peerce ; Wilfrid Pelletier ; Dorothy Sarnoff ; Victor Symphony Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with vocal chorus and orchestra composer  
Victor [Trial 1914-03-23-02] Not documented 3/23/1914 Aria Mr. P. R. Stephens Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 39891 10-in. 2/25/1915 Call me thine own Marshall P. Lufsky ; Charles Schuetze ; George Stehl Instrumental trio composer  
(Results 1-25 of 46 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Halévy, F.," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102723.

Halévy, F.. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102723.

"Halévy, F.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

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.