French composer, born at Metz; proved himself a brilliant student at the Paris Conservatoire; became professor of Composition in 1852, and nine years later succeeded Auber as director of the Conservatoire; a prolific writer in all forms of musical composition, but has won celebrity mainly as a writer of, operas, the most popular of which are "La Double Échelle," "Mignon," "Hamlet," etc.; was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Legion of honor in 1880 (1811-1896).