Léo Delibes (1836-1891) was a French composer whose name is closely associated with ballet and opera. Born near Saint-Germain-du-Val, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire and worked in the theatre from an early age.

His best-known works include the ballets Coppélia and Sylvia, and the opera Lakmé, with its famous Flower Duet. These scores show his instinct for melody, stage colour and graceful movement.

Delibes’s music is elegant, lucid and theatrically precise. His ballet scores helped raise French ballet music from functional accompaniment to a more richly characterised orchestral art.

Admired by later composers including Tchaikovsky, Delibes brought charm without triviality and colour without clutter. His best music still dances with the ease of something far more carefully made than it pretends.