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

 

 

La procession (Franck) 2-032086 CL38-1 HMV, Paris 1924-10-01

Lohengrin (Wagner) Ah, respirons 7-32078 BS839-1 HMV, Paris 1923-02-26

Lohengrin (Wagner) Ma confiance en toi 7-32084 BT461-1 HMV, Paris 1924-03-13

Manon (Massenet) En fermant les yeux (Le rêve) 2-032060 Ho3898af HMV, London 1919-07-21

Manon (Massenet) N’est ce plus ma main (w. Heldy) DB1410 CF2994-2 HMV, Paris 1930-0203

Manon (Massenet) Toi! Vous! (w. Heldy) DB1410 CTR3368-2 HMV, Paris 1927-11-12

Monna Vanna (Février) Air de Prinzivalle DA1064 BS4259-1 HMV, Paris 1929-09-2

Monna Vanna (Février) Elle est à moi (Air de la main) DA1064 BS4260-1 HMV, Paris 1929-09-2

Muette de Portici (Auber) L’amour sacré (w. Servais) E560 BF3304-1, 1T1 HMV, Paris 1930-06

Orphée et Eurydice (Gluck) J’ai perdu mon Eurydice 2-032069x CS847-1 HMV, Paris 1923-03-02

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Me grimer 2-032035 Ho3862af HMV, London 1919-07-04

Pagliacci (leoncavallo) No, Pagliaccio non son DB1097 CTR3188-1 HMV, Paris 1927-10-12

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba DB1097 CTR3187-1 HMV, Paris 1927-10-12

Panis angelicus (Cornélis) 2-032059 Ho4480-2af HMV, London 1920-07-12

Panis angelicus (Franck) 2-032085 CT487-1 HMV, Paris 1924-03-21

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Ah, lève-toi, soleil 2-032034 Ho3857af HMV, London 1919-07-04

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Ah, lève-toi, soleil DB951 Cc8633-1 HMV, London 1926-06-29

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Salut, tombeau DB951 Cc8632-1 HMV, London 1926-06-29

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Arrêtez, ô mes frères 2-032083 CT480-2 HMV, Paris 1924-03-20