Édouard-Théodore Nicole (1823 – 19 February 1900), known as Léonce, was a 19th-century French actor and singer.

Biography

Léonce was born in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. After studying law, he made his stage debut at the Théâtre de Belleville. He also played the cello. In the 1850s, he was engaged at the

Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens () is a Parisian theatre founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with a ...

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera '' ...

and sang many roles in the works of Offenbach and Hervé. After some time at the Théâtre de l'Athenée, he played in the premieres of '' Tromb-al-ca-zar'', '' Croquefer'', ''

Orphée aux Enfers ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' and ''Orpheus in Hell'' are English names for (), a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was first performed as a two-act "opéra bouffon" at the Théâ ...

'', ''

Mesdames de la Halle ''Mesdames de la Halle'' is an opérette bouffe in one act by Jacques Offenbach, with a libretto by Armand Lapointe. It was first performed at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens, Paris on 3 March 1858. and was the first work of Offenbach's at t ...

'' and '' Monsieur Choufleuri''. For several years, he appeared at the

Théâtre des Variétés The Théâtre des Variétés is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7–8, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1974. History It owes its creation to the theatre director Mademoiselle ...

including in ''

Les brigands ''Les brigands'' (''The Bandits'') is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Meilhac and Halévy's libretto lampoons both serious drama (Schiller's play ''The Robbers'') ...

'', ''

Le docteur Ox ''Le docteur Ox'' is an opéra bouffe in three acts and six tableaux of 1877 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by Arnold Mortier and Philippe Gille, adapted from the 1872 short story '' Une fantaisie du docteur Ox'' by Jul ...

'', '' La Vie parisienne'' and ''

La Périchole ''La Périchole'' () is an opéra bouffe in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy wrote the French libretto based on the 1829 one act play '' Le carrosse du Saint-Sacrement'' by Prosper Mérimée, which was revived o ...

''. After an unwise investment in a café, he ended his life in poverty. He died at

Raincy Le Raincy () is a prestigious commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Le Raincy. Its popul ...

on 19 February 1900.

Theatre

; Comedian-singer *1858: ''

'', une opérette bouffe de

- created on 3 March 1858 at the

(salle Choiseul) - as ''Madame Poiretapée, poissonnière'' *1858: ''

'', opéra-bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created on 21 October at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens - as ''Aristée-Pluton'' - *1859: '' L'Omelette à la Follembuche'', operetta bouffe by

Eugène Labiche Eugene is a common male given name that comes from the Greek εὐγενής (''eugenēs''), "noble", literally "well-born", from εὖ (''eu''), "well" and γένος (''genos''), "race, stock, kin".Marc-Michel Marc-Antoine-Amédée Michel, known as Marc-Michel (22 July 1812 in Marseille – 12 March 1868 in Paris) was a French poet, playwright and journalist. He is perhaps best known today for the 1851 farce he co-wrote with Eugène Marin Labiche, ''The ...

- created on 8 June at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens - as ''La baronne de Follembuche'' *1861: ''

M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . . ''M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le... '' (''Mr. Cauliflower will be at home on... '') is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, in one act by Jacques Offenbach and the Duc de Morny (under the pseudonym "M. de St Rémy"). The French libretto is also c ...

'', opéra bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created on 14 September

1861 Statistically, this year is considered the end of the whale oil industry and (in replacement) the beginning of the petroleum oil industry. Events January–March * January 1 ** Benito Juárez captures Mexico City. ** The first steam-p ...

at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens - as ''Mme Balandard'' *1865: ''

Les bergers ''Les bergers'' is a three-act opéra comique of 1865 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux, Hector Crémieux and Philippe Gille.Andrew Lamb (writer), Lamb A., Jacques Offenbach (List of stage works ...

'', opéra-comique by Jacques Offenbach - as the Marquis *1869: ''

'', opéra bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created at the

on 10 December - as ''Antonio, caissier du duc de Mantoue'' *1873: '' Les Braconniers'', opéra bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created at the Théâtre des Variétés on 29 January - as ''Bibès, veux braconnier'' *1875: '' Les Trente Millions de Gladiator'', comédie en vaudeville by Eugène Labiche and

Philippe Gille Philippe Emile François Gille (10 December 1831 – 19 March 1901) was a French dramatist and opera librettist, who was born and died in Paris. He wrote over twenty librettos between 1857 and 1893, the most famous of which are Massenet's '' Mano ...

- created at

on 22 January - as ''Pepitt'' *1875: '' La boulangère a des écus'', opéra bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created on 19, October

1875 Events January–March * January 1 – The Midland Railway of England abolishes the Second Class passenger category, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies follow Midland's lead during the rest of the ...

at the Théâtre des Variétés - as ''Délicat'' *1876: '' Le roi dort'' by Eugène Labiche and

Alfred Delacour Alfred Delacour or Alfred-Charlemagne Delacour, real name Pierre-Alfred Lartigue, (3 September 1817 – 31 March 1883 ) was a 19th-century French playwright and librettist. Biography In addition to his occupation as a physician, which he prac ...

- created on 31 March at the Théâtre des Variétés - as ''Bec de miel'' *1877: ''

'', opéra-bouffe by Jacques Offenbach - created on 26 January at the Théâtre des Variétés - as ''Ygène'' *1883: ''

Mam'zelle Nitouche ''Mam'zelle Nitouche'' is a Opérette vaudeville, vaudeville-opérette in three acts by Hervé (composer), Hervé. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Albert Millaud. This story of a respectable musician, transforming himself into a songwriter at ...

'',

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

Henri Meilhac Henri Meilhac (23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a French dramatist and opera librettist, best known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach, as well as Jules Massenet' ...

and

Albert Millaud Albert Millaud was a French journalist, writer and stage author, born in Paris, 13 January 1844, and died in the same city on 23 October 1892."Dans la rue"
sur Gallica - Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens - created on 8 SeptemberLéonce
sur Data.BnF

References

Sources

* Gänzl Kurt. ''The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre.'' Blackwell, Oxford, 1994. * ''This article incorporates some material re-edited from French Wikipedia'' 1823 births 1900 deaths 19th-century French male opera singers Male actors from Paris 19th-century French male actors {{France-opera-singer-stub