MASSENET, Jules Emile Frederic, zhiil a-mel fra-dA-rek mas-na', French composer: b. Montaud, France, 12 May 1842; d. Paris, 13 Aug. 1912. He was the youngest of 21 chil dren; his father, a blacksmith, had served in the engineers under Napoleon. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire under Reber, Lau rent, Thomas and Savard, he gained the first prize for pianoforte in 1859, the first for fugue, and the Prix de Rome for his cantata, 'David Rizzio,> in 1863. He had done some traveling in Italy and Germany before he made his debut in Paris at the Opera Comique in 1868 with 'La Grand-Tante.> He was appointed profes sor of composition at the Conservatoire in 1878 and made a member of the Academie des Beaux Arts. Among his earlier works are (Poeme du Souvenir> (1860) • (Poeme d'Avril' and 'Suite d'Orchestre> (1868). His first im portant work was the opera, 'Don Cesar de Bawl' (1872), followed in the same year by 'Les Erinnyes' (a tragedy by Leconte de Lisle) and a sacred drama, An oratorio. (Eve,' was performed in 1874; the opera, 'Le Roi de Lahore' in 1877; a sacred legend, 'The Virgin' in 1880; (an opera) in Brussels,. 1881. 'Marion' appeared in 1883; 'Le Cid' in 1;..:5; 'Esclarmonde,' a
romantic opera in 1889; also a large number of popular melodies, pianoforte pieces, and a series of seven 'Suites d'Orchestre,' including 'Scenes Pittoresques,' 'Scenes Alsaciennes,> 'Scenes Hongroises,' 'Scenes Napolitaines' and 'Scenes de Fierie,) as well as two can tatas, 'Narcisse> and 'Biblis.' He also wrote some entr'actes and stage music for Sardou's dramas the 'Crocodile' and 'Theodora.' His opera 'Le Mage' (words by Jean Richepin) and a drame lyrique, adapted from Goethe's 'Werther,> were performed in 1891. was first produced at the Paris Opera 16 March 1894, the libretto having been adapted from the novel by Anatole France; a short one-act piece, 'Le Portrait de Manon,' was performed at the Opera Comique in the same year,. and in 1895 he wrote the music for Jules Claretie's 'La Navarraise.) Of his latest works, the opera 'Don Quichotte> was produced in London in M0 1912, and his last opera, (Panurge,) was completed just before his death. His music, always melodious, has been described by critics as being excessively ((sugary?'