Description

FRANS VROONS (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, APRIL 28, 1911 – ’S-HERTOGEN-BOSCH, NETHERLANDS, JUNE 1, 1983)

 

 

 

 

He studied under Berthe Seroen in Amsterdam and later continued his training in Paris. As a student, he performed with the Amsterdam Wagner Association and in student productions at the Conservatory in Amsterdam. In 1938, he appeared as Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro under the direction of Bruno Walter in Amsterdam, and in 1939, he sang the role of Don Basilio in the same opera in Scheveningen, conducted by Carl Schuricht.

In 1941, he became a principal tenor at the Dutch Opera in Amsterdam, where he performed in the opening of Wagenaar’s Doge van Venetië. After World War II, his career gained international recognition. He sang at the Grand Opéra and the Opéra-Comique in Paris and at Covent Garden in London from 1948 to 1950. In North America, he performed at the New York City Center Opera as Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon and as Hoffmann in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. At the San Francisco Opera in 1951, he appeared opposite Bidu Sayão in Manon.

He was celebrated for creating the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes for Holland in 1955 and at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. At the Holland Festival in 1950, he performed the part of Hüon in Weber’s Oberon. In 1960, he sang in the premiere of Henk Badings’ opera Martin Korda.

Later in his career, he became co-director of the Dutch Opera from 1956 to 1971, where he also worked as the director of the opera school. He resided in Vught near ‘s-Hertogenbosch and was active in Utrecht, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, and The Hague.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Andrea Chenier (Giordano) Un dì all’azzurro spazio Conductor Willem van Otterloo Decca X 10176 1495 A
2. Ballo in Maschera (Verdi) Ah, Perchè Qui! Fuggite! with Gre Brouwenstijn Die Wiener Symphoniker, Conductor Wilhelm Loibner
3. Carmen (Bizet) La fleur que tu m’avais jetée Conductor Jean Fournet Philips N 00706 R AA 00706.2 R
4. Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Whither, whither have you gone
5. Euryanthe (Weber) Unter blüh’nden Mandelbäumen Conductor Fritz Stiedry, Chorus and orchestra of the BBC
6. Giuditta (Lehár) Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert Conductor Hugo De Groot Philips E 10002 AM 982
7. La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Nature Immense Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler Lucerne Festival Ensemble
8. Le jongleur de Notre-Dame (Massenet) Scène du marché et alleluia du vin Conductor Jean Fournet Philips N 00706 R AA 00706.1 R
9. Les contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Il était une fois à la cour d’Eisenach Conductor Jean Fournet Philips N 00706 R AA 00706.2 R
10. Manon (Massenet) Ah! Fuyez Douce Image Conductor Willem van Otterloo Decca X 10114 AM 1239
11. Manon (Massenet) En fermant les yeux Conductor Jean Fournet Philips N 00706 R AA 00706.2 R
12. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Paul van Kempen
13. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba Conductor Willem van Otterloo Decca X 10176 AM 1494A
14. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Paul van Kempen
15. Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Paul van Kempen
16. Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere with Gre Brouwenstijn Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Paul van Kempen Philips N 11176 G AA 11176. 2 G
17. Werther (Massenet) Pourquoi me reveiller Conductor Willem van Otterloo Decca X 10114 AM 1238
18. Werther (Massenet) Un autre est son époux… J’aurais sur ma poitrine Conductor Jean Fournet Philips N 00706 R AA 00706.2 R