Description

JULIEN LAFONT (1880 – 1970)

 

 

 

 

The beginning of his career, whose real name was Jules Lafont, is not well documented. In 1917, he was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he appeared in numerous opera premieres:

1920: Lorenzaccio (E. Moret)

1920: La Rôtisserie de la Reine Pédauque (Charles Lavadé)

1920: Le Sauteriot (Sylvio Lazzari)

1922: Quand la cloche sonnera (A. Bachelet)

1923: La Hulla (Samuel-Rousseau)

1928: Angelo, Tyran de Padoue (A. Bruneau)

1928: Riquet à la houppe (Georges Hüe)

1928: Sarati le Terrible (Francis Bousquet)

His repertoire included Escamillo in Carmen, Coppelius in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Lothario in Mignon by A. Thomas, Nilakantha in Lakmé by L. Delibes, Comte des Grieux in Manon by J. Massenet, the Father in Louise by G. Charpentier, Tonio in Pagliacci, Scarpia in Tosca, and Schaunard in La Bohème.

At the Grand Opéra in Paris, he appeared as a guest in 1925, performing as Scarpia in Tosca.

He was a regular performer at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo from 1925–1927, 1934–1939, and 1943–1951. He sang in the premieres of:

1925: L’Enfant et les sortilèges (M. Ravel)

1926: Judith (A. Honegger)

At the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, his repertoire included roles such as Mephisto in Faust by C. Gounod, Phanuel in Hérodiade by J. Massenet, Abimelech in Samson et Dalila by C. Saint-Saëns, Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande, Hagen in Sigurd by E. Reyer, Saint-Bris in Les Huguenots, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sulpice in La Fille du régiment by G. Donizetti, King Heinrich in Lohengrin, Wotan in Die Walküre, and Gurnemanz in Parsifal.

During the 1940s, he was also active as a director at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Les sapins (Dopont) Odeon 188610 Ki 1892
2. Faust (Gounod) Alerte!… Anges purs (w. Vallin & Maison) Odeon 123.509 xxP6525
3. Faust (Gounod) Me voici, d’ou vient ta surprise…O merveille! (w. Maison) Odeon 123.510 123.510 xxP6528 xxP6529
4. Faust (Gounod) Que voulez-vous, messieurs (Trio du duel) (w. Maison & Bourdin) Odeon 123.509 xxP6526
5. La favorita (Donzietti) Pour tant d’Amour Odeon 188569 B Ki 1584
6. La Toussaint (Lacome) Odeon 188.610
7. Le chalet (Adam) Arretons-nous ici Odeon 123575 xxP 6733
8. Le crucifix Faure) (w. Maison) Odeon 188.546 Ki1406
9. Louise (Charpentier) Berceuse Odeon 123507 xxP 6520
10. Louise (Charpentier) Duo du 4e Acte (w. Vallin) Odeon 123507 xxP 6521
11. Manon (Massenet) Epouse quelque brave fille Odeon 188701 Ki 3716
12. Mignon (Thomas) As-tu souffert, as-tu pleure (w. Vallin) Odeon 188537b Ki 1358
13. Mignon (Thomas) Duo des hirondelles (w. Vallin) Odeon A188537a Ki 1357
14. Panis angelicus (Franck) Odeon 123513 xxP 6539