Description

LÉON ROTHIER (REIMS, 26 DECEMBER, 1874 – NEW YORK, 6 DECEMBER, 1951)

He began his career as a violinist before studying singing at the Paris Conservatoire under Paul Lhérie. He made his debut in 1899 at the Paris Opéra-Comique as Jupiter in Gounod’s Philémon et Baucis. He remained active at the Opéra-Comique until 1907, where he appeared on February 2, 1900, in the premiere of G. Charpentier’s Louise, and on April 11, 1900, in Le Juif Polonais by Camille Erlanger. From 1907 onward, he performed not only at the opera houses of Marseille and Nice but also in other French provincial theaters and at the Opera House in Monte Carlo.

In 1910, he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, beginning a 30-year association with the company. In 1911, he sang in the Met’s premiere of Dukas’ Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, in 1913 in Boris Godunov, and in 1922 in Lalo’s Le Roi d’Ys. He also performed in the premieres of L’Oiseau bleu by Albert Wolff (December 27, 1920) and Peter Ibbetson by Deems Taylor (February 7, 1931). Between 1918 and 1931, he made guest appearances at the San Francisco Opera and also sang at the Ravinia Summer Opera near Chicago.

He continued giving public performances in New York City as late as 1949, appearing at Town Hall. His first marriage was to soprano Mariette Mazarin (1877-1952), from whom he later separated. His second marriage was to contralto Maria Duchêne (born 1884). At the age of 76, he entered into a third marriage but passed away shortly afterward.

Chronology of some appearances

Le comte Des Grieux 1/28/1913, Le comte de Saint-Bris 3/25/1913, Ramfis 11/25/1913, Pimen 1/26/1915, 3/10/1914, Zuniga 4/20/1915, Ferrando 11/23/1915, Le comte Des Grieux 11/30/1915, Count des Grieux 11/30/1915, Tom 12/21/1915, Raimondo Bidebent 2/8/1916, Ramfis 6/6/1916, Un vieillard hébreu 11/28/1916, Ferrando 12/12/1916, Zuniga 1/9/1917, Pimen 4/17/1917, Zuniga 3/26/1918, Un vieillard hébreu 4/9/1918, Ferrando 4/16/1918, Il sultano di Khïatân 11/19/1918, Ferrando 3/4/1919, César 3/18/1919, Méphistophélès 4/15/1919, Le Cardinal de Brogni 11/30/1920, La père 3/8/1921, Sparafucile 3/15/1921, Ramfis 3/22/1921, Le comte Des Grieux 3/29/1921, Méphistophélès 4/12/1921, La père 12/6/1921, Le roi 1/10/1922, Un vieillard hébreu 4/18/1922, Frère Laurent 1/23/1923, Ded Moroz 3/27/1923, Le Grand Inquisiteur 4/17/1923, Le Grand-Prêtre de Brama 4/17/1923, Veit Pogner 12/11/1923, Le Grand Inquisiteur 1/22/1924, Le Grand-Prêtre de Brama 1/22/1924, Father 3/4/1924, Timour 3/18/1924, Ein Eremit 4/8/1924, Frère Laurent 2/17/1925, Veit Pogner 3/31/1925, Le Grand Inquisiteur 12/1/1925, Le Grand-Prêtre de Brama 12/1/1925, Le Cardinal de Brogni 2/16/1926, Veit Pogner 3/16/1926, Le Grand Inquisiteur 11/9/1926, Le Grand-Prêtre de Brama 11/9/1926, Lothario 4/12/1927, Alvise Badoero 11/1/1927, Colline 11/29/1927, Oroveso 12/27/1927, Dr. Miracle 2/14/1928, Archibaldo 2/21/1928, Sparafucile 3/20/1928, Le comte d’Oberthal 4/10/1928, Le Grand Inquisiteur 11/20/1928, Le Grand-Prêtre de Brama 11/20/1928, Le comte Des Grieux 1/1/1929, Pimen 3/12/1929, Veit Pogner 12/17/1929, Frère Laurent 1/28/1930, Méphistophélès 2/18/1930, La père 4/15/1930, Il Commendatore 12/9/1930, Méphistophélès 2/3/1931, Major Duquesnois 3/3/1931, Arkel 3/17/1931, Walter Furst 4/7/1931, Le comte Des Grieux 11/3/1931, Sparafucile 1/19/1932, Major Duquesnois 3/1/1932, Frère Laurent 3/29/1932, Arkel 1/31/1933, Sparafucile 2/7/1933, Le comte Des Grieux 3/7/1933, Méphistophélès 7/24/1933, 8/24/1933, Sparafucile 8/25/1933, Ramfis 8/26/1933, Colline 8/28/1933, Ramfis 9/1/1933, Méphistophélès 9/5/1933, Dr. Miracle 9/9/1933, Nilakantha 12/19/1933, Le comte Des Grieux 1/30/1934, Frère Laurent 2/20/1934, Raimondo Bidebent 3/6/1934 (Filadelfia).

TRACKLIST

1. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) E scherzo od e follia (w. Caruso, Hempel, Duchêne, de Segurola & chorus) 89076 C14660-1 Victor, 1914-04-03
2. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) La rivedro nell’estasi (w. Caruso, Hempel, de Segurola & chorus) 89077 C14659-2 Victor, 1914-04-03
3. Caïd (Thomas) Air du tambour-major A5876 48634 Columbia, New York 1916-03-16
4. Don Carlo (Verdi) Ella giammai m’amo A5812 48659 Columbia, New York 1916-03-27
5. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Piff paff A5876 48647 Columbia, New York 1916-03-27
6. La Marseillaise (de l’Isle) A5823 48633 Columbia, New York 1916-03-16
7. Le cor (Flégier) A5999 48645 Columbia, New York 1916-03-23
8. Les deux grenadiers (Schumann) A5999 49169 Columbia, New York 1917-03-29
9. Père de la Victoire (Ganne) A5823 48791 Columbia, New York 1916-05-05
10. Star Spangled Banner (Smith) (Fr) E3558 58545 Columbia, New York 1917-08 09
11. Zauberflöte (Mozart) O Isis et Osiris A5812 48632 Columbia, New York 1916-03-16