Description

CHARLES ROUSSELIÈRE (TENOR) (SAINT-NAZAIRE-D’AUDE, 17 JANUARY, 1875 – JOUÉ-LÈS-TOURS, 11 MAY, 1950)

 

 

 

 

Originally a blacksmith by trade, he studied with Albert Vaguet at the Paris Conservatoire and made his début at the Opéra as Samson in 1900. The following year he sang in the première of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Les barbares, and he remained with the company until 1905. Until 1919 he was a favourite at Monte Carlo, where he appeared first in La damnation de Faust; premières there included Pietro Mascagni’s Amica, Saint-Saëns’s L’ancêtre and Gabriel Fauré’s Pénélope. His début at the Metropolitan in Roméo et Juliette in 1906 coincided with that of Geraldine Farrar, who received more attention; his dramatic skill was appreciated but the power of his voice, sometimes strident, suggested that he should turn to more heroic roles. This he did on his return to France, adding Otello, Lohengrin, Siegfried and Parsifal to his repertory. He also appeared in Berlin, Buenos Aires and Milan, and in his later years sang mostly at the Opéra-Comique where in 1913 he created the title role in Gustave Charpentier’s Julien. His varied repertory is well represented in recordings made between 1903 and 1926: his voice is strong and clearly defined, his style authoritative in declamation and well mannered in more lyrical music.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1905 Montecarlo Teatro del Casinî Amica (Giorgio)

1906 New York Teatro Metropolitan Dannazione di Faust (Faust)

1907 New York Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Don Jose)

1907 Montevideo Teatro Solis Don Carlo (Carlo)

1909 Roma Teatro Costanzi Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)

1911 Palermo Teatro Massimo Don Carlo (Carlo)

1911 Madrid Teatro Reale Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Ai cimitière (Saint-Saëns) 2-32758 1691F G&T, Paris 1903
2. Aida (Verdi) O céleste Aida 2-32855 1887F G&T, Paris 1903
3. Aimons-nous (Saint-Saëns) 2-32817 1804F G&T, Paris 1903
4. Barbares (Saint-Saens) Divinités libératrices 2-32856 1888F G&T, Paris 1903
5. Bohème (Puccini) Ah Mimi s’en est allée (w. A. Boyer) 34021 2137F G&T, Paris 1903
6. Carmen (Bizet) Halte-là! 2-32859 1893F G&T, Paris 1903
7. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Chanson à boire 2-32873 1998F G&T, Paris 1903
8. Favorite (Donizetti) Un nage, une femme inconnue 2-32880 2071F G&T, Paris 1903
9. Hérodiade (Massenet) Air de Jean 2-32818 1805F G&T, Paris 1903
10. Iphigénie en Tauride (Gluck) Cavatine de Pylade 2-32808 1799F G&T, Paris 1903
11. Juive (Halevy) Dieu m’éclaire 2-32842 1813F G&T, Paris 1903
12. Juive (Halevy) Rachel, quand du Seigneur 2-32843 1814F G&T, Paris 1903
13. La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Nature immense 2-32883 2064-P1 G&T, Paris 1903
14. Le rêve du prisonnier (Rubinstein) 032001 2349F G&T, Paris 1903
15. Lohengrin (Wagner) Ah, respirons tous deux 2-32992 2343F G&T, Paris 1903
16. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) O bel ange 2-32986 2265F (CS) G&T, Paris 1903
17. Manon (Massenet) Ah fuyez, douce image 2-32807 1798F G&T, Paris 1903
18. Manon (Massenet) En fermant les yeux (w. J. Rousselière, not on label) 2-32806 1796F G&T, Paris 1903