Description

FERNAND ANSSEAU (BOUSSU-BOIS, BELGIUM, MARCH 6, 1890 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, MAY 1, 1972)

 

 

 

 

He first trained as a printer. After discovering his vocal talent, he studied with Désiré Demest and the famous Belgian Heldentenor Ernest van Dijk in Brussels. In 1913, he made his debut in Dijon as Jean in Jules Massenet’s Hérodiade. In 1914, he sang at the Theater of Belfort. During World War I, he refused to perform on stage in occupied Belgium and instead gave charity concerts, which made him very popular. In 1918, he resumed his career at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, where he sang the role of Canio in Pagliacci during the grand reopening of the Brussels Opera after the war. The success of this performance was sensational and brought him international fame.

From 1919 onwards, he appeared almost every year with great success at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, making his debut there as Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon. In 1920, he began performing at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, with his debut role as Werther. In 1921, he was heard at the Opéra-Comique in one of his signature roles, Orfeo in Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. In 1922, he performed at the Paris Grand Opéra, and from 1923 to 1928, he sang at the Chicago Opera. He also performed in San Francisco in 1925 and made successful guest appearances in Monte Carlo, London, and Paris.

From 1930 to 1939, he returned to the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. In 1930, he sang the role of Masaniello in Auber’s La Muette de Portici during the jubilee performance commemorating the centenary of the Belgian Revolution. Throughout his career, he remained closely connected to the Théâtre de la Monnaie, where he gave his final performance as Canio in 1939. His last concert took place on May 5, 1940. When Belgium was occupied by German troops in 1940, he once again refused to perform in public. From 1942 to 1944, he taught singing at the Conservatory of Brussels. He later lived in Brussels.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Africaine (Meyerbeer) O paradis 7-32077 BS576-2 HMV, Paris 1922-11-21

Au drapeau (Cornélis) 2-032036 Ho3863af HMV, London 1919-07-04

Aubade (Mattinata) (Redhegiere) 2-032055 Ho4428-2af HMV, London 1920-06-09

Carmen (Bizet) C’est toi! C’est moi!… L’on m’avait avertie… Je t’aime encore (w. Orens) DB1384 DB1384 CS4261-1 CS4262-1, 1T1 HMV, Paris 1929-09-2

Carmen (Bizet) Je suis Escamillo (w. Journet) DB1098 CTR3177 HMV, Paris 1927-10-11

Carmen (Bizet) Je suis Escamillo (w. Servais) 2-034038 CL39-1 HMV, Paris 1924-10-01

Carmen (Bizet) La fleur 2-032033x Ho3860af HMV, London 1919-07-04

Carmen (Bizet) La fleur DB1098 CTR3178 HMV, Paris 1927-10-11

Carmen (Bizet) Mais moi, Carmen… Mais moi, Carmen (w. Sadoven) 2-034036, 2-034037, CL47, CL48 HMV, Paris 1924-10-03

Carmen (Bizet) Parle-moi de ma mère… Qui sait de quel démon (w. Heldy) DB1115 DB1115 CTR3366-1 CTR3367-1 HMV, Paris 1927-11-12

Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Nature immense 2-032072 CS838-2 HMV, Paris 1923-02-26

Faust (Gounod) Alerte! Alerte! (w. Heldy & Journet) DB1609 CF2995-2 HMV, Paris 1930-0203

Faust (Gounod) Mais ce Dieu… Ici je suis (w. Journet) DB1364 DB1364 CS4270-2 CS4271-1 HMV, Paris 1929-09-27

Hérodiade (Massenet) Ne pouvant reprimer 2-032056 Ho4427-2af HMV, London 1920-06-09

Joseph (Méhul) Champs paternels 2-032057 Ho4447-2af HMV, London 1920-06-29

La Brabanconne (Campenhaut) E560 (30-3866) BF3305- HMV, Paris 1930-06