HAL$VY, Jacques Francois Fromental Elie, zhak fran-swa fr6-m6O-tal French composer : b. of Jewish parentage, Paris, 27 May 1799; d. Nice, France, 17 March 1862. He studied counterpoint under Cherubini for five years, and in 1819 was sent to Italy to fin ish his education. The first of his pieces per formed was a little comic opera, given at the Theatre Feydau, in 1827. His chef-d'cruvre, 'La Juive,> appeared in 1835 and rapidly obtained a European celebrity, and has been frequently sung in the United States. Among his other works are ; 'Guido et Ginevra' ; 'La Reine de Chypre' ; Val d'Andorre) ; 'La Fee aux Roses.' The melo dies of Halevy are always soft and flowing, the harmony correct and pleasing; but his works display on the whole more talent than genius. Consult the 'Life> by Leon Halevy (1863).
HALtVY, Joseph, zho-zef, French Orien talist and traveler: b. Adrianople, Turkey, 15 Dec. 1827. He traveled in Abyssinia ; and for the Academie des Inscriptions he traversed Yemen, where he obtained copies of not less than 686 inscriptions, largely Himyaretic and Sabwan. He was appointed assistant librarian of the Asi atic Society and adjunct-professor of Ethiopic in the Ecole des Hautes Etudes. Well known also as a biblical critic and Assyriologist, he founded (1893) the 'Revue Semitique d'Epi graphic et d'Histoire Ancienne,' and published numerous works, including 'Archaeologic Mis sion to Yemen' (1872) ; Journey to Nedjran' (1873); Studies' (1875) ; 'The Origin of Babylonian Civilization' (1876) ; 'Miscel lany of Criticism and History Regarding Se mitic Peoples' (1883) ; 'Summary of Assyrio Babylonian Signs and Inscriptions> (1912).
HALgVY, Ludovic, lii-do-vek, French dramatist and novelist: b. Paris, France, 1 Jan. 1834; d. there, 8 May 1908. He was unsuccess ful at first, but finally worked his way into public favor, especially after associating his pen with that of Henri Meilhac. In collaboration
with the latter, he wrote many of the librettos of Offenbach's most brilliant and satiric oper ettas, including 'The Perichole,> 'The Brig ands,' the 'Belle Helene,' and 'The Grand Duchess of
Several serious libret tos of high excellence are from the same hands, including that for Bizet's 'Carmen.> In spoken drama, 'Frou-Frou) and 'Tricoche and Caco let' are among the most popular plays the two dramatists produced together. In 1881 he ceased writing for the stage, and turned to fic tion.
Constantin,' the first of his nov els, is also the most popular, and opened to him the French Academy in 1884. It was for more than one season the French story of the day. It is a charming story, full of fresh air and sun, simply and skilfully told. It presented a view of American character and temperament not usual in French fiction; and irreproachable in its moral tone, has become a sort of classic for American schools and colleges. 'La Fa mine Cardinal' (The Cardinal Family) and 'Crichette' are studies in fiction of aspects of Parisian life. 'Notes and Souvenirs' embody observations during the Prussian invasion of 1871. They are interesting, as giving faithful pictures of the temper of the people during those days. Among his short stories, 'lin Manage d'Amour' (A Marriage for Love) is one of the best. The complete dramatic works of Halevy and Meilhac appeared in eight vol umes (1900-02). Consult d'Almeras, H.,