Lecocq, (Alexandre) Charles (1832–1918)

French composer. His first operetta, Le Docteur Miracle (1857), won joint first prize with a work by Georges Bizet in a competition organized by Jacques Offenbach. However, he had no great success until he produced Fleur de Thé in 1868, and until then supplemented his income by teaching and organ playing. After that he made a fortune with his many operettas.

Lecocq was born in Paris, where he studied at the Conservatory 1849–54.

Works Opera Plutus (1886); operettas Les Cent Vierges, La Fille de Madame Angot (1872), Giroflé-Giroflà (1874), La Petite Mariée (1875), Le Petit Duc (1878), Camargo (1878), Ninette, Barbe-bleue, and about 40 others.

Other orchestral works; violin and piano sonata; sacred songs for women's voices La Chapelle au couvent; instrumental pieces; piano works; songs.