Armand Liorat was the pen name of Georges Degas (10 January 1837 – 8 August 1898), a French playwright and librettist.
Life and career Liorat was born in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, the son of Pierre André Constant Degas, a lawyer, and his wife Rose Elisabeth Hermance, née Berthault. He entered the civil service in the office of the préfecture of the Seine, and rose to be chief inspector of administrative finance. Away from his official duties he wrote song-lyrics, and sketches for cafés-concerts. For the spoken drama and the opera he adopted the pen name Amand Liorat and, either alone or in collaboration with writers such as William Busnach, Clairville, Paul Bocage, Prével, Ferrier, wrote a large number of operetta librettos."Armand Loriat", Encyclopédie de l'art lyrique français, Association l'Art Lyrique Français. Retrieved 1 December 2018
As well as librettos for the lyric stage, Liorat wrote some serious drama, including La belle aux cheveux d'or (1882) in collaboration with Arthur Arnould."The Drama in Paris", The Era, 15 July 1882, p. 14
Liorat died suddenly, shortly before his last work, Les quatre filles Aymon was put into production at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques."The Drama in Paris", The Era, 13 August 1898, p. 11
Librettos
WorkCo-authorComposerPremiere Un mariage au gros sel, opérette in 1 act Frédéric Barbier Eldorado, 10 July 1869 La belle Kalitcha, opérette in 1 act Frédéric Wachs Folies-Bergère, December 1872 La rosière d'ici, opéra bouffe in 3 acts Léon Roques Bouffes-Parisiens, 27 March 1873 Mariée depuis midi, 1 act "mêlée de chant" William Busnach Georges Jacobi Marseille, 20 August 1873) La leçon d'amour, opérette in 1 act Frédéric Wachs Bouffes-Parisiens, 14 September 1873 La liqueur d'or, opéra comique in 3 acts William Busnach Laurent de Rillé Menus-Plaisirs, 11 December 1873 Une pleine eau à chatou, opérette in 1 act Frédéric Wachs Folies-Bergère, 21 November 1874 De bric et de broc, revue in 4 acts Clairville Louis Varney Athénée-Comique, 4 February 1876 Kosiki, opérette in 3 acts William Busnach Charles Lecocq Renaissance, 18 October 1876 Le pont d'Avignon, opérette in 3 acts Charles Grisart Bouffes-Parisiens, 3 September 1878 Le petit abbé, musical sketch Henri Bocage Charles Grisart Vaudeville, 9 October 1879) Les poupées de l'infante, opéra comique in 3 acts Henri Bocage Charles Grisart Folies-Dramatiques, 9 April 1881 La laitière et le pot au lait, pièce in 1 act William Busnach, Frédéric Wachs Palais-Royal, 1 May 1883 Les noces improvisées, opéra comique in 3 acts Albert Fonteny Francis Chassaigne Bouffes-Parisiens, 13 February 1886 L'amour mouillé, opéra comique in 3 acts Jules Prével, Louis Varney Nouveautés, 25 January 1887 Le bossu, opéra comique in 4 acts Henri Bocage, Charles Grisart Gaîté, 19 March 1888 La vénus d'arles, opéra comique in 3 acts Paul Ferrier Louis Varney Nouveautés, 30 January 1889 Ma mie Rosette, opéra comique in 3 acts Jules Prével Paul Lacôme Folies-Dramatiques, 4 February 1890 La fille de l'air, opérette-féerie in 3 acts Cogniard frères Paul Lacôme Folies-Dramatiques, 20 June 1890 La fille de fanchon la vielleuse, opéra comique in 4 acts William Busnach et Albert Fonteny Louis Varney Folies-Dramatiques, 3 November 1891 Le cadeau de noces, opéra bouffe in 4 acts Stop and Fernand Hue Paul Lacôme Bouffes-Parisiens, 20 January 1893) Le petit bois, opérette in 1 act Charles Grisart Bouffes-Parisiens, 7 March 1893 La fille de paillasse, opérette in 3 acts Louis Leloir, Louis Varney Folies-Dramatiques, 20 April 1894 Les petites brebis, opérette in 2 acts Louis Varney Théâtre de Cluny, 5 June 1895 La falote, opérette in 3 acts Maurice Ordonneau Louis Varney Folies-Dramatiques, 17 April 1896 Le lézard, pièce in 1 act, mêlée de chant William Busnach Frédéric Toulmouche Scala, 29 August 1896 Inès Mendo, opéra in 3 acts Pierre Decourcelle Frédéric d'Erlanger Royal Opera House, London, 10 July 1897 Les quatre filles Aymon, opérette in 3 acts Albert Fonteny Paul Lacôme and Victor Roger Folies-Dramatiques, 20 September 1898
Source: Encyclopédie de l'art lyrique français.
Notes