Hahn, Reynaldo (1874-1947)

French composer and conductor. He was popular in Parisian salons as a performer of his own songs, and was admired by the French novelist Marcel Proust. In 1934 he was appointed music critic of Le Figaro, and in 1945 became music director of the Paris Opéra. As a conductor he specialized in Mozart and as a composer he wrote much incidental music for plays, two ballets, operas, and operettas.

He was sent to the Paris Conservatory at the age of 11, where his teachers included Jules Massenet. He had his first work published at the age of 14 and his first opera produced at 23.

Works Opera L'Île du rêve (1898), La Carmélite (1902), La Colombe de Bouddha (1921), Nausicaa, Le Pauvre d'Assise, La Reine de Saba, Le Temps d'aimer, Brummel (1931), Le Marchand de Venise (after Shakespeare, 1935), and many operettas including Ciboulette (1923).

Other ballets La Fête chez Thérèse (1907) and Le Dieu bleu (1912); incidental music for Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing, Rostand's Le Bois sacré, Sacha Guitry's Mozart (1925), and others; ode Prométhée for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra; symphonic poem Nuit d'amour bergamasque; string quartet and other chamber music; piano pieces; songs including cycles Chansons grises, Chansons latines, Chansons espagnoles.