19TH CENTURY OPERA SINGERS

Melba as Manon "Manon" Massenet Dame NELLIE MELBA GBE (Helen Porter Mitchell) (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), Australian Soprano Melba was taught to play the piano and first sang in public around age six.She was educated at a local boarding school and then at the Presbyterian Ladies' College. She studied singing with Mary Ellen Christian (a former pupil of Manuel García) and Pietro Cecchi, an Italian tenor, who was a respected teacher in Melbourne. In her teens, Melba continued to perform in amateur concerts in and around Melbourne, and she played the organ at church. Making her professional debut in Melbourne concerts in 1884. On the strength of local success, she travelled to London in search of an opportunity.Her debut at the Princes' Hall in 1886 made little impression, and she sought work unsuccessfully from Sir Arthur Sullivan, Carl Rosa and Augustus Harris.She then went to Paris to study with the leading teacher Mathilde Marchesi, who instantly recognised the young singer's potential: Melba made such rapid progress that she was allowed to sing the "Mad Scene" from Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet at a matinée musicale in Marchesi's house in December the same year, in the presence of the composer.Her talent was so evident that, after less than a year with Marchesi, the impresario Maurice Strakosch gave her a ten-year contract at 1000 francs annually. After she had signed, she received a far better offer of 3000 francs per month from the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, but Strakosch would not release her and obtained an injunction preventing her from performing .The matter was resolved by Strakosch's sudden death.She made her operatic debut four days later as Gilda in Rigoletto at La Monnaie on 12 October 1887.. It was at this time, on Marchesi's advice, that she adopted the stage name of "Melba", a contraction of the name of her home city.Her Covent Garden début in May 1888, in the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. She received a friendly but not excited reception The following year, she performed at the Opéra in Paris, in the role of Ophélie in Hamlet; She travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for Tsar Nicholas II: and sang in Paris, Brussels, Vienna , Milan, and Berlin Melba sang the role of Nedda in Pagliacci at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present, and said that the role had never been so well played before.[19] In December of that year, Melba sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor, Her Roles included mostly in the lyric soprano repertoire, but with some heavier roles also. She sang the title roles in Herman Bemberg's Elaine and Arthur Goring Thomas's Esmeralda. Her Italian parts included Gilda in Rigoletto, the title role in Aida Desdemona in Otello, Luisa in Mascagni's I Rantzau, Nedda in Pagliacci, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Violetta in La traviata, and Mimi in La bohème. In the French repertoire, she sang Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Marguerite in Faust, Marguerite de Valois in Les Huguenots, the title role in Saint-Saëns's Hélène, which was written for her, and Micaëla in Carmen.

MARIA DOLINA GORLENKO (Maria Ivanovna Sajuschkina Gorlenko) Russian Contralto 1868-1919 Studied with Kondratiev. Final studies were carried out with Carelli in Naples, with Mastriani in Milan and finally in Paris. In 1886 she made her debut at the Marienskij Theatre in St. Petersburg as Vanya in Glinka's "A life for the Tsar" (Ivan Susanin).Creator of Borodin's "Prince Igor" (Kontschakowna) & Tchaikowsky's "Pique Dame" Old Countess. She toured the great opera centers of Europe unlike many of her contemporaries. In 1886. she made her debut at the Mariinsky Theater in the "Life for the Tsar", which later became her crown role. Roles included (The Snow Maiden ") and Grunya (Jц¦chymov force"). introduced in concerts around Europe Russian folk music and art.

LISE TAUTIN (born Louise Vaissière) Paris in 1836, died Boulogne, May 1874), French soprano, Associated with the opéra-bouffe in Paris in the middle of the 19th century, particularly the works of Offenbach ,Having been spotted by Offenbach at the Grand Théâtre de Lyon, Tautin made her debut with the Bouffes-Parisiens as Aspasie in Une demoiselle en loterie in July 1857 and was a big success with critics and the audiences. She also sang Fanchette in Le mariage aux lanternes (1857), Crout-ou-pôt in Mesdames de la Halle (1858), Minette in La chatte métamorphosée en femme 1858 - her incarnation of both girl and cat was praised, and Eurydice in Orphée aux Enfers (1858 and 1860 revival), where her ‘Hymne a Bacchus’ was encored, or often sung three times at each performance. Then followed Rosita in Un mari à la porte (1859), Gratioso and other roles in the first version of Geneviève de Brabant (1859), Les Bouffes-Parisiens in Le carnaval des revues (1860), Catarina in Le pont des soupirs (1861), and Ernestina in M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . . (1861). She visited Vienna with the Bouffes-Parisiens in the summer of 1861, during which she created La Sincère in Les bergers. In the spring of 1862 she starred in La boite au lait at the Théâtre des Variétés. Tautin took over title role for some performances of La belle Hélène in 1865. She was taken ill returning from a tour to Constantinople in 1874

MARIE CONSTANCE SASSE . -Belgian soprano (Ghent, 26 January 1834 - 75016.Paris, November 07, 1907).Debut on 01 October 1859, at the Théâtre-Lyrique, 03 August 1860 at the Opera ROBERT LE DIABLE by Meyerbeer (Alice). She sang LA JUIVE by Halévy (Rachel); Verdi IL TROVATORE (Leonora). VESPERS Sicilian Verdi (Helene); THE Queen of Sheba by Gounod (Queen); DON JUAN de Mozart (Elvira, Donna Anna); THE HUGUENOTS (Valentine); HAMLET (Ophelia, 1872). She participated in the first 13 March 1861 Tannhäuser (Elisabeth) Wagner. She created April 28, 1865 L'AFRICAINE (Selika) of Meyerbeer; on March 11, 1867 DON CARLOS (Elisabeth de Valois) for Verdi. She left the Opera in 1872. She has sung under the names of Sax, Saxe, Sass-Castelmary and under his own name.

Amélie FAIVRE (Louise Marie Amélie FAIVRE) french mezzo-soprano (Paris, 04 February 1837 - 75017.Paris, November 17, 1897) Sister of Marie FAIVRE, singer. At the Conservatoire de Paris, she obtained third runner-up in 1857 in singing and a second prize of Opéra-Comique. She had a career at the Théâtre-Lyrique, but at the same time, she created in Baden: July 15, 1858 the mill of the King of Adrien Boieldieu; 03 August 1860la Colombe (Mazet) by Charles Gounod; on July 31, 1861 Deux amours by Gevaert. August 21, 1862 Erostrate (Rhodina) by Ernest Reyer; July 27, 1863la Fille de l'orfèvre , by Edmond Membree. She sang on November 16, 1863 at the premiere la Monnaie Brussels d'Oberon ou le Cor magique (Fatima) Weber [French version of Nuitter, Beaumont and Chazot]. She created , in March 1859 in concert,la Mort de Socrate d'Edmond Hocmelle ; in February 1862 in Paris, le Valet-poète de Raoul de Lostanges Raoul ; in May 1873, at the Cercle artistique et littéraire Brussels (under the name of Ms. Mme Réty-Faivre), le Tricorne enchanté by Léon Jouret.

ROSINE BLOCH (Paris, 07 November 1844 -01 February 1891) French operatic mezzo-soprano While a student of the Conservatory, she won in 1864, two seconds prizes for singing and opera, and the two firsts the following year. Committed immediately to the Opera, 1865, debut in Il Trovatore. The beauty, vigor and velvety tone of her beautiful contralto voice, that she handled with skill, earned her a warm welcome in the part by the public. She was not happy in the other roles in her repertoire, and was applauded in LE FAVOURITE and LE PROPHET. She created the Coupe du roi de Thulé, in 1880, she left the Opera. In 1870, at the Théâtre-Lyrique she sang in Charles VI. October 31, 1890, she sang Samson and Delilah (Dalila) when the first Parisian stage performance of this work at the Eden-Théâtre.

CELESTINE GALLI-MARIE (Marie-Célestine Laurence Marié de l'Isle) (November 1840 – 22 September 1905) French mezzo-soprano Most famous for creating the title role in the opera Carmen.Born in Paris. She was taught singing by her father, Mécène Marié de l'Isle, Her début came in 1859 in Strasbourg, and she sang in Italian in Lisbon. She sang at the Opéra-Comique until 1885, premiering in Pergolesi's La serva padrona. Her most famous roles were in Thomas's Mignon (1866) and Bizet's Carmen (1875). She created the roles of Lazarille in Don César de Bazan, Vendredi in Robinson Crusoé, the title part in Fantasio, as well as roles in Lara, Le Capitaine Henriot, Fior d'Aliza, La Petite Fadette, and Piccolino. She also sang Taven in Mireille and Rose Friquet in Les dragons de Villars. She died in Vence, near Nice. Her voice was described as being of a good timbre, with clear diction and phrasing

MATHILDE GABRIELE SESSI (1846-1934 ) Austrian Soprano Started her career in Vienna and then performances in Berlin , Frankfurt and Brussells . Debut at Covent Garden London 1870 as Lucia 'Lucia di Lammermoor" Donizetti .Performed in Paris the same year at la salle Ventadour as Alina "'Alina regina di golconda " She sang Zerlina "Don Giovanni" , Marguerite "Faust" , Marie " La fille du regiment" , Ophelie 'Hamlet" , Violetta 'La traviata"

Paola Marié as Clairette in "La fille de Madame Angot" ..by Lecocq PAOLA MARIE (1847-1919); French mezzo-soprano. Known for her performance as Clairette Angot in Charles Lecocq’s “La fille de Madam Angot”, a rôle she created at the Paris-première in 1873 at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques. in the rôle of Clairette.Known for her interpretations of Carmen and Mignon, rôles that had been created by her sister, the famous mezzo-soprano Célèstine Galli-Marié (1840-1905). In 1877 she created the rôle of Lazuli in Chabrier’s “L’ Étoile” at the Bouffes-Parisiens

Paola Marié as Clairette in "La fille de Madame Angot".by Lecocq CREATOR in Paris Premiere PAOLA MARIE (1847-1919); French mezzo-soprano. Known for her performance as Clairette Angot in Charles Lecocq’s “La fille de Madam Angot”, a rôle she created at the Paris-première in 1873 at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques. in the rôle of Clairette.Known for her interpretations of Carmen and Mignon, rôles that had been created by her sister, the famous mezzo-soprano Célèstine Galli-Marié (1840-1905). In 1877 she created the rôle of Lazuli in Chabrier’s “L’ Étoile” at the Bouffes-Parisiens

Maurel as Mathias “Le Juif Polonais” Erlander. Creator Opera Comique 11/4/1900 VICTOR MAUREL Baritone (.Marseille, June 17, 1848 – October 22, 1923). Debuted at the Opera March 04, 1868. Debuted at the Opéra-Comique on 06 October 1885 in Etoile du Nord (Peters)Chante Zampa, le Songe d'une nuit d'été, Don Juan.. Sang Falstaff (Falstaff) from 1900, le Juif Polonais (Mathis), He created two roles. Verdi had chosen him to create Otello (Iago) and Falstaff (Falstaff) at the Scala in Milan. In 1883, he attempted to resurrect the Théâtre Italien in Paris.

GEORGETTE BRÉJEAN-GRAVIÈRE Soprano (Georgette-Amélie SIXSOUT ) .Paris, September 22, 1870 - .Paris, August 30, 1951 Studied at the Paris Conservatoire, with Mangin and Crosti. Debut in 1890 at the Opera House of Bordeaux in which she appeared among other things in the local premières of the operas ‘’Sapho’’ and ‘’Esclarmonde’’of J. Massenet. In 1894 she joined to the Opéra-Comique in Paris where she sang the role of Manon in "Manon" by. Massenet’s. . She sang on 24 .5. 1899 at the Opéra-Comique in the premiere of J. Massenet’s ‘’Cendrillon’’ in the role of fairy. ; Jules Massenet wrote the ‘Fabliau’ (as an alternative to the gavotte in Act 3) specifically for her to sing in Brussels. She appeared as Manon and Lakmé at Monte Carlo the following season, adding LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES and GUILLAUME TELL a year later. At this time she sang under the name Bréjean-Gravière, later changing it upon her marriage to the composer Charles Silver, whose opera LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT provided her with another leading part.

Clement as Chevalier des Griex “Manon” Massenet EDMOND CLEMENT( Frédéric Jean Edmond). -Tenor (.Paris, March 28, 1867 - Nice, February 23, 1928). Debut November 29, 1889 in Mireille (Vincent). December 03, 1890 Benvenuto (Andrea) Eugène Diaz; Cabrera la (Pedrito), la Clos (Simon), Don Juan (Ottavio), Don Pasquale (Ernesto), Falstaff (Fenton), Hélène (Paris), le Juif Polonais (Christian), Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton), Phryne (Nicias) Thérèse (Armand), La Vivandière (Georges). d les Amoureux de Catherine (Heinrich), the Barber of Seville (Almaviva), la Basoche, (Clément Marot), Camen (don José), le Chalet (Daniel), la Dame Blanche (Georges), La Fille du Regiment (Tonio), the Magic Flute (Tamino), Fra Diavolo (Fra Diavolo), Lakmé (Gérald), Manon (Des Grieux), Mignon (Wilhelm Meister), Philémon et Baucis (Philemon), Proserpine (Sabastiano), la Reine Fiammette e (Rina), Roi D'ys (Mylio), Tosca (Cavaradossi), la Traviata (Rodolphe), la Bohème (Rodolphe), Werther (Werther).

Clement as Don Jose "Carmen" EDMOND CLEMENT ( Frédéric Jean Edmond). -Tenor (.Paris, March 28, 1867 - Nice, February 23, 1928). Debut November 29, 1889 in Mireille (Vincent). December 03, 1890 Benvenuto (Andrea) Eugène Diaz; Cabrera la (Pedrito), la Clos (Simon), Don Juan (Ottavio), Don Pasquale (Ernesto), Falstaff (Fenton), Hélène (Paris), le Juif Polonais (Christian), Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton), Phryne (Nicias) Thérèse (Armand), La Vivandière (Georges). d les Amoureux de Catherine (Heinrich), the Barber of Seville (Almaviva), la Basoche, (Clément Marot), Camen (don José), le Chalet (Daniel), la Dame Blanche (Georges), La Fille du Regiment (Tonio), the Magic Flute (Tamino), Fra Diavolo (Fra Diavolo), Lakmé (Gérald), Manon (Des Grieux), Mignon (Wilhelm Meister), Philémon et Baucis (Philemon), Proserpine (Sabastiano), la Reine Fiammette e (Rina), Roi D'ys (Mylio), Tosca (Cavaradossi), la Traviata (Rodolphe), la Bohème (Rodolpho), Werther (Werther).

Antonio Giuglini (Fano Italy16 or 17 January 1825 – 12 October 1865 Pesaro Italy) was an Italian operatic tenor. During the last eight years of his life, before he developed signs of mental instability, he earned renown as one of the leading stars of the operatic scene in London. He created several major roles for British audiences, appearing in the first London performances of Gounod's Faust and Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. In London, he was the usual stage partner of the great dramatic soprano Thérèse Tietjens. Studied with Francesco Cellini ,Made his debut in Farma , persuaded to replace the prinicipal tenor in "I due forscari" as Jacopo and was an immediate sucess which lead to performaces throughout Italy at Milan 1855 , Performed in London , Vienna

MARIE-JULIE BARETTI (Marie Julie Blanche BARETTY). -(.Bordeaux, February 10, 1838 - Paris, 16 December 1877). French Soprano sang in the première of Maillart's "Les pecheurs de Catane" (1860) and "Lara" (1864), Reyer's "La statue" (1861) and David's "Le saphir" (1865

Pierre Jules as Roméo in Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette PIERRE JULES MICHOT -French Tenor 1832-1896 In 1856 he made his debut at the Théâtre-Lyrique in the opera “Richard Coeur-de- Lion” by Grétry. In 1859 he sang at the première of “La fée Carabosse” by Victor Massé and he created the rôle of Scopas in Reyer’s “Erostrate” (1862). From 1859-1865 he was engaged by the Grand-Opéra Paris, but then returned to the Théâtre-Lyrique. Here he created in 1867 the rôle of Roméo in Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" with Marie Caroline Miolan Carvalho as Juliette. His career did not last long because his last (guest)performance was in 1868 at the Marseille Opera in Verdi’s “Vêpres Siciliennes”.

Pierre Jules Michot- as Tamino in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte PIERRE JULES MICHOT -French Tenor 1832-1896 In 1856 he made his debut at the Théâtre-Lyrique in the opera “Richard Coeur-de- Lion” by Grétry. In 1859 he sang at the première of “La fée Carabosse” by Victor Massé and he created the rôle of Scopas in Reyer’s “Erostrate” (1862). From 1859-1865 he was engaged by the Grand-Opéra Paris, but then returned to the Théâtre-Lyrique. Here he created in 1867 the rôle of Roméo in Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" with Marie Caroline Miolan Carvalho as Juliette. His career did not last long because his last (guest)performance was in 1868 at the Marseille Opera in Verdi’s “Vêpres Siciliennes”.