Composer, born in Cologne, Germany. He came to Paris in 1833, directing the Théâtre-Français orchestra in 1848, and becoming manager of the Bouffes-Parisiens in 1855. He composed many light, lively operettas, such as Orphée aux enfers (1858, trans Orpheus in the Underworld). He also produced one grand opera, Les contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), which was not produced until 1881, after his death.