(1836-1891)
Léo Delibes studied at the Paris Conservatory and at once appeared before the public as a composer of successful operettas, operas and ballets. Of the ballets, Coppelia, and to a lesser extent, Sylvia, are favorite specimens. His appointment to the Opera as accompanist (1863) and second chorus-master (1865) turned his interest towards ballet. But opera drew him back and he wrote three works for the Opera-Comique -- Le Roi l'a dit (1873), Jean de Nivelle (1880) and the famous Lakme (1883).