Adolphe Adam was a French composer of the Romantic period, born and largely based in Paris, with periods of work in London and St Petersburg. A prolific composer of opéra comique and ballet, he is best remembered for the ballet Giselle (1841) and the Christmas song “Minuit, chrétiens!” (known in English as “O Holy Night”), alongside operas such as Le postillon de Lonjumeau and Le corsaire. He taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire in his later years and died in his sleep in Paris in 1856 at the age of 52.

Adam is credited, alongside Daniel Auber and Adrien Boieldieu, with shaping the later Romantic form of French opéra comique, while Giselle remains a cornerstone of the Romantic ballet repertoire, still performed regularly by companies worldwide. As a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, he also influenced younger composers, including Léo Delibes.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe_Adam