Clément Philibert Léo Delibes was a French Romantic composer, born on February 21, 1836, in Saint-Germain-du-Val, France, and passed away on January 16, 1891, in Paris. He is best known for his ballets and operas, including the ballets Coppélia (1870) and Sylvia (1876), as well as the opera Lakmé (1883), which features the famous “Flower Duet”.

Delibes was born into a musical family and enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris at the age of twelve, studying under several professors, including Adolphe Adam. He began his career as a church organist and achieved public recognition for his music for the ballet La Source in 1866. His later ballets, Coppélia and Sylvia, were key works in the development of modern ballet, giving the music much greater importance than previously.

In addition to his ballets, Delibes composed a small number of mélodies, some of which are still frequently performed. He also had several attempts at writing more serious operas, achieving considerable critical and commercial success with Lakmé. In his later years, he joined the faculty of the Conservatoire, teaching composition, and became a member of the French Institute in 18842.

Delibes’ music—light, graceful, elegant, with a tendency toward exoticism—reflects the spirit of the Second Empire in France. His pioneering symphonic work for the ballet opened up a field for serious composers, and his influence can be traced in the work of Tchaikovsky and others who wrote for dance2. His works remain core pieces in the international ballet repertoire, and Lakmé is revived from time to time in opera houses.