Hector-Jonathan Crémieux (10 November 1828 – 30 September 1893) was a French librettist and playwright. His best-known work is his collaboration with Ludovic Halévy for Jacques Offenbach's Orphée aux Enfers, known in English as Orpheus in the Underworld.

Life

Crémieux was born in Paris to a Jewish family - he was related to the lawyer Adolphe Crémieux. He studied law and then worked in the civil service. His first play, Fiesque (1852) was a historical drama, but before long he started to write comedies and then, in collaboration, operetta and opéra comique librettos. His collaborations with Halévy were often written under the joint pseudonym Paul d'Arcy. In 1887, Crémieux became secretary-general of the Société des Dépôts et Comptes Courants, and ceased writing. Five years later, the Société collapsed and he committed suicide by gunshot in Paris.

Libretti

For Jacques Offenbach

For Léo Delibes

For Hervé

For Léon Vasseur

Plays

Amongst the plays written by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux are: