Sebastián Iradier

Sebastián de Iradier y Salaverri (Salberri) (January 20, 1809 – December 6, 1865), aka Sebastián Yradier, was a Spanish Basque composer.

Iradier was born in Lanciego, in the province of Álava. His publisher in Paris urged him to "universalize" his name, from Iradier to Yradier. He is known primarily for his habaneras, especially the one titled "La Paloma", written around 1860 after a visit to Cuba. "La Paloma" was extremely popular in both Spain and America (especially Mexico), where it was responsible for the great popularity achieved by the habanera. Another of Iradier's compositions is "El Arreglito", an habanera used by Georges Bizet in his opera "Carmen". Bizet, thinking it was a folk song, took the melody of "El Arreglito" and created what is known today as the "Habanera" from "Carmen:" the song "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle". Iradier died in obscurity.

Persondata
NAME=Iradier, Sebastián
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Yradier, Sebastián de;Iradier, Sebastián de;Iradier y Salaverri, Sebastián de;
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Spanish composer
DATE OF BIRTH=January 20 1809
PLACE OF BIRTH=Lanciego, Álava
DATE OF DEATH=December 6 1865
PLACE OF DEATH=