Mathieu-Émile Balanqué by Constantin

Mathieu-Émile Balanqué (1826-1866); French bass who created the role of Méphistophélès in the première of Gounod's "Faust" on 19 March 1859 at the Theatre-Lyrique Paris. He studied singing at the Conservatoire National de Paris with Gilbert Duprez. Until 1856 he performed in Brussels, Strasbourg and Toulouse, before he was engaged at the Théâtre-Lyrique in Paris. At this theatre he had already sung in 1852 the Chevalier de Romuald in the première of Gilbert Duprez's opera "Joanita" . This appearance could have been his stage debut. He sang at various world premières: as Francatrippa in Massé's "La Reine Topaze" (1856), as Méphistophélès in Gounod's "Faust" (1859), as Cecco in Mailart's "Les Pêcheurs de Catane" (1860), as Vulcain in Gounod's "Philémon et Baucis" (1860), Maître Jean in Gounod's "La Colombe (1860) and as Armgyad in Reyer's "La statue" (1861). Count Almaviva in Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro" was one of his major stage roles.The end of his career developed disastrous. At the age of 35 he lost his voice. He then became a stage director at the "Théâtre d' Angers", which burnt down in 1865. He returned to Paris with his wife and five children and died one year later in great poverty. Three of his children were also professional singers: Réer and Charles were baritones and Blanche was a soprano (Opéra Comique).