19TH CENTURY OPERA SINGERS

CHARLES MARIE AUGUST PONCHARD 17 November 1824- 26 April 1891 French Tenor Son of Louis Antoine Ponchard (tenor) and Marie Sophia Collault (soprano).Debut Opera Comique Paris 1847 where he remained until 1871.Sang in many premieres at Opera Comique “La Chalet” by Adam 1851 , “le Nababa” by Halevy 1853 ,”La Sylphe” by Clappison & ‘Les Dragons de Villiers” by Maillart 1856 ,”Le Marriage Extravagant” by Gautier 1857 ,’Le Nid de Gigognes” by Vogl & ‘Les Chaises Porteurs ‘ by Masse 1858 ,”Le Diable au Moulin” Gevart 1859 ,”le Chateu Trompetti” by Gevart & “L’habit de Mylord” by Lagarde 1860 , ‘Le Jardinier Galant” by Poise 1861 , ‘Jose Maria” by Cohen 1866 , “Robinson Crusoe” ny Offenbach 1867 , “La fontaine de Berny” by Nibelle 1869 and ‘L’ourset le Pacha” by Brazin 1870 .He works also as a stage director from 1865 and from 1875 was a voice teacher at Conservatoire Paris

JOSEPH ANTIONE CHARLES COUDERC (10 March1810-16 April1875) French Tenor and Baritone Created created Laerte in "Mignon" (1866) by Ambroise Thomas' Was Professor of singing (Opera Comique) at the Conservatoire de Paris (1865-1875).

AUTOGRAPH OF Joseph Antione Couderc

as Valentine in “Les Huguenots” by Meyerbeer Rose Feart (Rosalie GAUTIER) 1878 –1954 French Soprano Studied in Paris and won, the first prize at the Music Conservatory in lyrical declamation.Her soprano voice was noticed by the Paris Opera who hired her immediately Début 17 October 1902 as Donna Anna in “ Don Giovanni” by Mozart at Paris Opera .She sang the role of Brangaine in “Tritan & Isolde” by Wagner in the Théâtre de l'Opéra (Palais Garnier) premiere in 1904 ,She sang in France and Switzerland , She also sang in concert and retired in 1923 and became a singing teacher at the Geneva Conservatory of Music where she remained until her death .She sang the roles of Valentine in “Les Huguenots” by Meyerbeer,Elizabeth in “Tannhauser” by Wagner , Berthe in “Le Prophete” by Meyerbeer, Leonore in “ il Trovatore” by Verdi , la Haine in “Armide” by Lully , Otrud and Elsa in “Lohengrin” by Wagner , Phedre in “Ariane” by Massenet , Brunehilde in “Die Walkure “ by Wagner ,Aida in “Aida” by Verdi. Chimene in” La Glorie de Corneille” by Saint-seans , Bia in “Promethee” by Faure and Guntrune in “Gotterdammerung” by Wagner.

as Mignon in "Mignon" by Thomas CHRISTINE NILSSON (Sjöabol near Växjö, Sweden, August 20, 1843 - Stockholm, 22 November 1921). Swedish Soprano Debut October 27, 1864, Théâtre-Lyrique. Debuted at l'Opéra de la salle Le Peletier on 09 March 1868 by creating Opehlia in HAMLET ,Sang in the premiere on 03 March 1869 Marguerite in Faust at the Palais Garnier. She sang LA LEGENDE DE SAINTE CECILE , oratorio by Benedict; ROBERT LE DIABLE (Alice). Meyerbeer

as Marguerite in "Faust" Gounod CHRISTINE NILSSON (Sjöabol near Växjö, Sweden, August 20, 1843 - Stockholm, 22 November 1921). Swedish Soprano Debut October 27, 1864, Théâtre-Lyrique. Debuted at l'Opéra de la salle Le Peletier on 09 March 1868 by creating Opehlia in HAMLET ,Sang in the premiere on 03 March 1869 Marguerite in Faust at the Palais Garnier. She sang LA LEGENDE DE SAINTE CECILE , oratorio by Benedict; ROBERT LE DIABLE (Alice). Meyerbeer

as Marie in “La fille du Regiment” by Donizetti. CHRISTINE NILSSON (Sjöabol near Växjö, Sweden, August 20, 1843 - Stockholm, 22 November 1921). Swedish Soprano Debut October 27, 1864, Théâtre-Lyrique. Debuted at l'Opéra de la salle Le Peletier on 09 March 1868 by creating Opehlia in HAMLET ,Sang in the premiere on 03 March 1869 Marguerite in Faust at the Palais Garnier. She sang LA LEGENDE DE SAINTE CECILE , oratorio by Benedict; ROBERT LE DIABLE (Alice). Meyerbeer

CHRISTINE NILSSON (Sjöabol near Växjö, Sweden, August 20, 1843 - Stockholm, 22 November 1921). Swedish Soprano Debut October 27, 1864, Théâtre-Lyrique. Debuted at l'Opéra de la salle Le Peletier on 09 March 1868 by creating Opehlia in HAMLET ,Sang in the premiere on 03 March 1869 Marguerite in Faust at the Palais Garnier. She sang LA LEGENDE DE SAINTE CECILE , oratorio by Benedict; ROBERT LE DIABLE (Alice). Meyerbeer

as Coi -Coi -San in 'Madama Butterfly" by Puccini GERALDINE FARRAR 1882-1967 American Soprano Started her vocal lessons with Mrs. J. H. Long in Boston in 1894. The 12-year-old Farrar also studied operatic acting and deportment with Victor Capoul, By the time she was 13 Farrar was living in New York City and studying with Emma Thursby , she was in Paris from 1899 to 1900, stuying with Trabadelo, a Spanish vocal coach, she went to Berlin to study with Francesco Graziani, In 1900 Farrar auditioned and won a three-year contract with the Berlin Hofoper Making her debut as Marguerite in Faust in 1901,After her contract in Berlin was up, Farrar moved to the Monte Carlo Opera, where she sang from about 1904 to 1906, making her Monte Carlo debut in Puccini's La Bohéme alongside costar Enrico Caruso. In 1905, Farrar sang in the premiere of " Amica" by Mascagni. She also appeared in Paris, Munich, Warsaw, and Salzburg,While she lived in Europe, Farrar continued to study with Lilli Lehmann.On opening night of the 1906-1907 season at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, Farrar made her debut with the company with which she would be associated for the rest of her career. In her debut, sher sang in "Roméo et Juliette" by Gounod. She appeared in the Met's first production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, In 1910 at the world premiere of German composer Engelbert Humperdinck's " Köngiskinder" creating the role of the Goose Girl. In 1911, Farrar sang in the American premiere of Ariane et Barbe-bleue.Her final performance at the Met was in April 1922. She sang in Zazá by Leoncavallo

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

Felix Schmidt 1848-1927 German Bass Son of tenor Heinrich Schmidt (1809-70) . He grew up in Lübeck, where he received his early musical training from his father. He studied vocal with the famous tenor Edward Mantius and Music Theory with Weitzmann in Berlin . After he had taken part in the 1870-71 Franco-German war, he continued his vocal studies with Adam Schulze in Berlin and Music Theory with Friedrich Kiel at the Berlin Music Academy. He then began a career as a concert singer and an educator. 1872-75 he worked as an assistant lecturer at the Music Academy in Berlin, then in 1878 as a associate and in 1888 he became a full professor . From 1895 he was head of the dramatic singing class at the university. 1887-1918 he conducted the Berlin teacher glee club, and started one of the leading choirs in Germany at this time. In 1888 he published the work of his former teacher Weitzmann "theory of music" in German translation. Despite these diverse activities, he went on to work in the concert hall; he was regarded as an excellent concert and Lieder singer and has appeared not only in the German musical centers but in concert tours in Milan and Switzerland. He retired in 1921- He was married to the concert soprano Maria Schmidt-Kühne (* 1858), who had been his pupil, and with who he often performed .

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MILY MEYER (Émilie Mily Meyer) (1852-1927) French Soprano Her professional début was at the Eldorado café-concert; she then went to the Théâtre de la Renaissance and appeared as the young duchess in the premiere of Le petit duc on 25 January 1878. Creations in La Camargo (1878),[2] Petite Mademoiselle (1879) and Belle-Lurette (1880) swiftly followed also appeared at the Théâtre des Nouveautés as Kate in the French premiere of Rip and at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens as Bianca in the first run of La Béarnaise in 1885. Also at Théâtre des Variétés was La Princesse de Trébizonde, while at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques she was in the French premiere of Millöcker's La Demoiselle de Belleville (Die Jungfrau von Belleville). Among many other operettas in which she sang were Roi de Carreau (1885) and Babolin (1884) at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques (November 1884); La vie mondaine (1885) at the Théâtre des Nouveautés, and at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens, La Béarnaise (1885), as Benjamine in Joséphine (1886), Gamine de Paris (1887), Le Retour d'Ulysse (1889), Le mari de la reine (1889), Cendrillonnette (1890) and revivals of Les petits mousquetaires and La Princesse de Trébizonde. Back at the Renaissance, she created La gardeuse d'oies (1888) and La petite Poucette (1891); followed by La Demoiselle du Téléphone (1891) at the Nouveautés, Fleur de Vertu (1894) at the Bouffes, and L'Élève du Conservatoire (1894) at the Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs.

EMMA ALBANI (1 November 1847 – 3 April 1930) Canadian soprano (Marie Louise Cecilia Emma Lajeunesse.) Vocal studies in Europe, and she became a student of Gilbert Louis Duprez in Paris, then by Francesco Lamperti in Milan. Debut in 1870 at the Opera House of Messina as Amina in 'La Sonnambula'. Covent Garden début 1872. First Covent Garden Senta (Der fliegende Holländer), 1877. NY Met début 1891; first Desdemona at NY Met 1894. Sang Isolde, Covent Garden 1896, retiring from stage a month later, but continuing to sing in oratorio. Retired to teach in 1911. DBE 1925.

Marthe Chenal as Zoraya "' La Sorciere " Erlander CREATOR Opera Comique 18/12/1912 Marthe Chenal 1881-1947 French Soprano Studied Conservatoire de Paris Martini. Debut in 1905 at the Palais Garnier as Brunehild in Ernest Reyer's Sigurd.Joined the roster of principal singers at the Opéra-Comique debut with the company in the title role of Camille Erlanger's Aphrodite.Appeared in several world premieres : Gabriel Pierné's On ne badine pas avec l'amour, Alfred Bruneau's Le Roi Candaule, and Erlanger's La sorcière , Camille Erlanger's Bacchus triomphant

Hisson as Selika in "L'Africaine" by Meyerbeer Julia Hisson March 16, 1849 - 26 November 1876 French Soprano She was a member of the Opera Paris from 1867 to 1873. She sang Marguerite in "Faust" by Gounod ;Valentine in "les Huguenots" by Meyerbeeer ; Agathe in " Der Freischütz " by Weber; Dona Anna in "Don Juan" by Mozart; Selika in "l'Africaine" by Meyerbeer; Leonora in 'Il Trovatore" by Verdi. She created Athénaïs in " Erostratus" by Reyer in the Paris Premiere 16the October 1871 (Athénaïs) Ernest Reyer.

ZOE BELIA (Victorine-Zoe Delau). 1836-???? Debut December 31, 1852 in Madelon (Madelon). Sang at the Opéra-Comique until 1870. She sang at the première of Auber's "Manon Lescaut" the rôle of the slave-girl Zaby (1856) and at the première of Auber's "La fiancée du Roi de Garbe" the rôle of the king's page Raphael (1864).

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.