Description

JEAN LASSALLE (LYON, FRANCE, 14. 12. 1847 † PARIS, FRANCE, 7. 9. 1909)

 

 

 

 

He was the son of a silk trader. Originally from Lyon, he moved to Paris with aspirations of becoming a painter. However, he studied singing at the Conservatoire National in Paris under the pedagogue Novelli. He made his debut in 1886 at the Opera House in Liège as Saint Bris in Les Huguenots by G. Meyerbeer. After performing at the opera houses of Lille, Toulouse, The Hague, and Brussels, he joined the Grand Opéra in Paris in 1872, where he made his debut as Wilhelm Tell in G. Rossini’s opera of the same name. He became one of the most prominent members of this opera house. He was especially appreciated at Covent Garden, where he appeared in the 1879-1881 and 1888-1893 seasons in roles such as the Flying Dutchman, Telramund, and Hans Sachs.

 

At the Covent Garden in London he appeared in the following opera premieres:

1881 ‘’Demon’’ (English première) A. Rubinstein

1892 ‘’The Light of Asia’’ Isidore De Lara

1893 ‘’Amy Robsart’’ Isidore De Lara

At the Grand Opéra in Paris he appeared in the following opera premieres:

27.4.1877 ’’Le Roi de Lahore’’ Jules Massenet

7.10.1878 ‘’Polyeucte’’ Charles Gounod

1.4.1881 ‘’Le Tribut de Zamora’’  Charles Gounod

14.4.1882 ‘’Françoise de Rimini’’ Ambroise Thomas

21.3.1890 ‘’Ascanio’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

5.3.1883 ‘’Henri VIII’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

1892 ‘’Samson et Dalila’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

At the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels he appeared in the following opera premiere:

15.7.1884 ‘’Sigurd’’ Ernest Reyer

In 1890, he sang at the Paris Opéra-Comique in a gala performance of Carmen with Jean de Reszke and Nellie Melba. From 1892 to 1898 (with interruptions), he was a renowned member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Here he made his debut in January 1892 as Nelusco in L’Africaine by G. Meyerbeer. At the Metropolitan Opera, his repertoire included Don Giovanni, the title role in Hamlet by A. Thomas, Valentin in Faust by C. Gounod, Escamillo in Carmen, Nevers in Les Huguenots, Telramund, Hans Sachs, and Wolfram in Tannhäuser. He then returned to France and appeared in Paris for several years. From 1901, he devoted himself to teaching and received a professorship at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1903. Jean Lassale was considered one of the most significant baritones of his era, often compared to his predecessor, the famous Jean-Baptiste Faure. His son Robert Lassalle became a well-known tenor, trained by his father and J. Isnardon.

 

Chronology of some appearances (Opera premieres)

 

1881 ‘’Demon’’ (English première) A. Rubinstein

1892 ‘’The Light of Asia’’ Isidore De Lara

1893 ‘’Amy Robsart’’ Isidore De Lara

Paris Grand Opéra

27.4.1877 ’’Le Roi de Lahore’’ Jules Massenet

7.10.1878 ‘’Polyeucte’’ Charles Gounod

1.4.1881 ‘’Le Tribut de Zamora’’  Charles Gounod

14.4.1882 ‘’Françoise de Rimini’’ Ambroise Thomas

21.3.1890 ‘’Ascanio’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

5.3.1883 ‘’Henri VIII’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

1892 ‘’Samson et Dalila’’ Camille Saint-Saëns

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Ascanio (Saint-Saëns): Enfant, je ne vous en veux pas 2866 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
2. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir 2871 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
3. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 2876 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
4. Paul et Virginie (Massé): L’oiseau s’envole 2884 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
5. Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Massenet) 2885Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
6. Don Giovanni (Mozart): Je suis sous ta fenêtre 2892 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
7. Si tu veux, mignonne (Massenet) 2988 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
8. Pensée d’automne (Massenet) 3905 Pathé Céleste cylinders, Paris 1903?
9. Pensée d’automne (Massenet) Pt. 2 3905 Pathé Céleste cylinders, Paris 1903?
10. Chant provençal (Massenet) 33914 XP1043 Odeon, Paris 1904-09
11. Le rêve du prisonnier (Rubinstein) 2869 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
12. Amour d’automne (Chaminade) 2987 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
13. Si tu veux, mignonne (Massenet) 33909 XP1045 Odeon, Paris 1904-09
14. Les deux coeurs (de Fontenailles) 33910 XP1047 Odeon, Paris 1904-09
15. Le sais-tu bien (Pierné) 2868 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
16. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Romance de l’étoile 2874 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902
17. Amour d’automne (Chaminade) Pantophone 1863
18. Extase (Salomon) 33902 XP1046 Odeon, Paris 1904-09
19. Plaisir d’amour (Martini) 33911 XP1042 Odeon, Paris 1904-09