Maurice Yvain

Maurice Yvain was among the most popular operetta composers of the 20th century, hitting his peak in the 1920s and '30s. After World War I, Yvain began writing songs, light orchestral music, film music, and finally, operettas and musicals. In the army, he had met singer Maurice Chevalier, who introduced him to the singer-actress Mistinguett, who had a hit with Yvain's Mon Homme in 1920. Mistinguett performed many other Yvain compositions, and his work was particularly associated with her in the 1920s. The soundtrack of the roaring 1920s in Paris consisted, in substantial part, of Yvain's music. His last theatrical production was Le Corsaire noir (1958), although he resurfaced in 1964 with a television musical. In 1962, he published a memoir, Ma belle opérette. Yvain died in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine on July 27, 1965.