Émile Pessard
Émile Louis Fortuné Pessard (29 May 1843 – 10 February 1917) was a French composer. Pessard was born and died in Paris. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he won 1st prize in Harmony. In 1866 he won the Grand Prix de Rome with his cantata Dalila which was performed at the Paris Opera on 21 February 1867. From 1878 to 1880 he was inspector of singing at Paris Schools, in 1881 he became professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatory. His students included Maurice Ravel, Jacques Ibert, William Molard, Albert Seitz and Justin Élie. After 1895 he was a critic and director. He composed many comic operas and operettas, as well as masses. Works Dalila (cantata, 1866) Prix de Rome. La Cruche cassée (opéra comicque in 1 act, libretto by Hyppolite Lucas and Emile Abraham, premiered on 21 February 1870 at the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique in Paris) Don Quichotte (opera, premiered on 13 February 1874 at the Salle Érard in Paris) Le Char (opera, premiered on 18 January 1878 at the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique in Paris) Le Capitaine Fracasse (opera, premiered on 2 July 1878 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris) Tabarin (opera, premiered on 12 January