Description

HENRI DONS (GHENT, BELGIUM, 1864 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1936)

 

 

 

 

He received his education at the Conservatory of Ghent and performed with the Ghent Opera from 1896 to 1906. As a guest artist, he returned to this opera house during the 1899/1900, 1904/05, and 1905/06 seasons. A significant part of his career unfolded in the Netherlands, where he performed for several years with the Hollandsch Opera-Gezelschap, established by Johannes de Groot. On September 25, 1889, he made his debut in Verdi’s La Traviata as Dr. Grenvil at the Parkschouwburg in Amsterdam. In that same season, he took on roles such as Count Oberthal (Le Prophète), Sulpice (La fille du régiment), Monterone (Rigoletto), and Gessler (William Tell).

In 1890, he sang the roles of Nilakantha (Lakmé) and Lothario (Mignon) at the Nederlandsche Opera. On September 8, 1894, he performed Mephistopheles in Gounod’s Faust at the Nederlandsche Opera-Vereeniging. He reprised this role at the Théâtre Royal de La Haye on September 30, 1899. His final performance in the Netherlands took place on December 6, 1916, at the Nederlandsch Opera, where he portrayed Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen.

His repertoire was extensive and included roles such as the King (Aida), Roger (Jérusalem by Verdi), Garrido/Tonio (Pagliacci), Casper (Der Freischütz), Des Grieux (Manon), the Grand Inquisitor (L’Africaine), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Dr. Falke (Die Fledermaus), the Commendatore (Don Giovanni), and Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1889 Amsterdam Parkschouwburg

1899 Theatre Royal de la Haye

1890 Amsterdam Nederlandsche Opera

1896-1906 Ghent Opera

1899-1900 Ghent Opera

1904-1905 Ghent Opera

1905-1906 Ghent Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Chalet (Adam) Vallons de l’Helvétie 2-32507 780F G&T, Paris 1902
2. Faust (Gounod) Rondo van het gouden kalf X-32158 Zonophone, Berlin 1907
3. Hamlet (Thomas) Chanson Bachique A33008 FO 106 Odeon, Berlin 1906-12
4. Het dierbaar ouderhuis (van Herzeele) 9433 Pathé cylinders & discs, Bruxelles 1905
5. Het lied van den smid (Wijbo) 9434 Pathé cylinders & discs, Bruxelles 1905
6. Les rameaux (Faure) 32973 859B Berliner, Amsterdam 1901-09-10
7. Ons dierbaar ouderhuis (v Herzeele) X-32153 Zonophone, Berlin 1907
8. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Proloog X-32155 Zonophone, Berlin 1907
9. Wilhelmus van Nassouwe (Valerius) X-32156 Zonophone, Berlin 1907