He had the notion of writing an opera-comique in one act, and he asked his favorite collaborators, Jules Barbier and Michael Carre, for a libretto.

They produced _Dinorah_ in three scenes and with but three characters.

The music was written promptly and was given to Perrin, the famous director, whose unfortunate influence soon made itself felt.

A director's first idea at that time was to demand changes in the piece given him.

"A single act by you, Master?
Is that permissible?
What can we put on after that?
A new work by Meyerbeer should take up the entire evening." That was the way the insidious director talked, and there was all the more chance of his being listened to as the author was possessed by a mania for retouching and making changes.