 Increasing ill @-@ health ( or possibly hypochondria ) now began to restrict Meyerbeer 's output and activities . The death of his beloved mother in 1854 was also a blow . However the success of L 'étoile du nord in 1854 demonstrated that he could still pack the theatres . Following this he began on two new projects , an opera by Scribe based on the biblical story of Judith , and an opéra comique , Le pardon de Ploërmel , ( also known as Dinorah , the title given to the Italian version performed at London ) to a libretto by Jules Barbier . The latter premiered on 4 April 1859 at the Opéra Comique at Paris ; the former , like many previous projects , remained only as sketches . The death of Scribe in 1861 was a further disincentive to Meyerbeer to proceed with his operatic work in progress . In 1862 , in accordance with his original contract with Scribe , he paid Scribe 's widow compensation for not completing Judith . 
