Le Trouvère CD cover

Le Trouvère
Recorded in 1912; Featuring Charles Fontaine

 

 

Verdi's Le Trouvère, is the third of eleven complete operas recorded by the Pathé Company and is the fourth of Marston's Pathé opera series. An important historical document displaying the unique French style of singing, this 2-CD set is the first complete recording of Trouvère in French and, to date, this stands as the only version of Verdi's masterpiece sung by an all-French cast. This is not just someone's French translation of Verdi's Il Travatore; Verdi himself was instrumental in transforming Il Travatore into Le Trouvère which was specifically intended for the Paris Opéra. Listeners will enjoy this seldom -heard variation on a most familiar Verdi classic. Opéra-Comique's musical director François Ruhlmann (1858-1948) leads Charles Fontaine (1878-?) as Manrique, alongside Jane Morlet (Léonore) and Jean Noté (Comte de Luna).

 

A NOTE FROM WARD MARSTON


While transferring the Pathé Trouvère, I had room for some arias and duets from various recordings. I had no shortage of wonderful singing from which to choose. The artists, however, may not be familiar, so I am including very brief biographies.

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Henri Dangès (1870-1948)

Dangès had an extensive career in Paris as well as the French provinces. He first appeared at the Opéra-Comique in 1898 and sang there from 1900-1902. From 1908 onwards, he primarily sang at the Paris Opéra, making his debut as Valentin in Faust. He also appeared at Monte Carlo and Lyon. He is listed as having sung with the Boston Opera, 1911-1912 and performing in Amsterdam as Morales in 1928.

Marcelle Demougeot (1876-1931)

Demougeot studied in Dijon with Charles Laurent and at the Paris Conservatory. She made her debut at the Paris Opéra as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. She sang in two world premieres and in 1911 sang Fricka in the first performance of the Paris Opéra production of Das Rheingold. Demougeot was considered one of the foremost French Wagnerian sopranos of her day.

Léon Escalaïs (1859-1941)

Escalaïs studied at the conservatories in Toulouse and Paris, then made his debut at the Paris Opéra as Arnold in Guillaume Tell. In 1890 he appeared at the Opéra in the premiere of Zaïre. He appeared regularly at the Théâtre de la Monnaie and toured throughout Europe and the U.S.

Lucette Korsoff (1876-1955)

Korsoff was born in Italy of Russian parents. At sixteen, she performed with a Russian opera troupe of which her father was a member. She studied with Frédéric Boyer in Paris and sang the role of Marie in the Brussels Opera's production of The Bartered Bride in 1905. She also appeared at the Opéra-Comique, New Orleans Opera, Boston Opera and Monte Carlo Opera. She was a coloratura soprano with technique to spare and a beautiful tone. She was particularly admired as the Queen of the Night.

Juste Nivette (1866-?)

Nivette debuted at the Opéra-Comique as Sarastro in Die Zauberflote in 1892. He appeared in such diverse roles as Marcel in Les Huguenots, Walter in Guillaume Tell, Ferrando in Il Travatore and Fafner in Siegfried. He sang in the premiere of Massenet's Le Jongleur de Notre Dame in Monte Carlo and appeared at the opening of the Boston Opera, 1909, as Alvise in La Gioconda.