Description

PAUL PAYAN (TOULON, FRANCE, 1 JANUARY, 1878 – JUAN-LES-PINS, FRANCE, 1 NOVEMBER, 1959)

 

 

 

 

He studied at the Conservatoire National in Paris under Isnardon and made his professional debut in 1906 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, appearing in Gustave Charpentier’s Louise as a comprimario. Over the years, he became a principal bass at the Opéra-Comique, where he was involved in several notable premieres, such as:

La Habanéra by Raoul Laparra (1908)

Macbeth by Ernest Bloch (1910)

La Lépreuse by Sylvio Lazzari (1912)

La Danseuse de Pompéi by Jean Nouguès (1912)

Marouf by Henri Rabaud (1914)

His career expanded to include appearances at the Paris Grand Opéra and guest performances throughout the French provinces. His international work included seasons at the Chicago Opera (1921-1922), where he achieved great success in Le jongleur de Notre Dame, Manon, Roméo et Juliette, and Samson et Dalila. He was also engaged by the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in 1924 and performed at Covent Garden in 1928 in roles like Zuniga in Carmen, the old Hebrew in Samson et Dalila, and his role in Louise.

Though he had an international career, Paris remained the center of his artistic activity, where he later became a respected pedagogue. He should not be confused with the French baritone Paul Payen (1900-1982).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1906 Paris Opéra-Comique

1921-1922 Chicago Opera

1924 Buenos Aires Teatro Colón

1928 London Covent Garden

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Bohème (Puccini) O défrôque si chère 4-32095 16152u Gramophone, Paris 1910-11-25
2. Cendrillon (Massenet) Nous quitterons cette ville (w. Brohly) 034169 02606½v Gramophone, Paris 1912-12-02
3. Don Quichotte (Massenet) Quand apparaissent les étoiles (w. Brohly) 34293 16946u Gramophone, Paris 1911-11-13
4. Étoile du Nord (Meyerbeer) O jours heureux 4-32090 15892u Gramophone, Paris 1910-07-04
5. Faust (Gounod) Divine pureté (w. César & Campagnola) 034153 02506v Gramophone, Paris 1912-09-05
6. Faust (Gounod) Divine pureté (w. Heilbronner & Beyle) 034091 01817v Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-10
7. Faust (Gounod) Il était temps 4-32235 16442u Gramophone, Paris 1911-04-28
8. Faust (Gounod) Jusqu’aux premiers feux du matin (w. chorus) Gramophone  032175 01755v
9. Faust (Gounod) Le jour va luire (w. Heilbronner & Beyle) 034092 01818v Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-10
10. Favorite (Donizetti) Frères, creusons l’asile (w. chorus) Gramophone 4-32099 16194u
11. Fille du Tambour-Major (Offenbach) C’est un billet de logement (w. Régis, Dupouy & Tirmont) 34284 16532u Gramophone, Paris 1911-07-08
12. Haydée (Auber) A la voix séduisante 032224 02177v Gramophone, Paris 1911-11-04
13. Hérodiade (Massenet) J’ai souvent contemplé ton astre with Brohly 034094 01857v Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-27
14. Jongleur de Nôtre-Dame (Massenet) Il pleure, un peu de foi 4-32378 18758u Gramophone, Paris 1914-04-04
15. Juive (Halévy) Si la rigeur (w. Cosset & chorus) 034124 02204v Gramophone, Paris 1911-11-15
16. La Favorite (Donizetti) Vois mes pleurs (Duo A4, pt 2) (w. Brohly and Beyle) Gramophone 034083 01563v 21-6-10
17. Lakmé (Delibes) Lakmé, ton doux regard 032210 02100v Gramophone, Paris 1911-10-02
18. Le Caïd (Thomas) Couplets de la Diane 4-32237 16181u Gramophone, Paris 1910-12-14
19. Le Caïd (Thomas) Le Tambour-Major 032218 02178v Gramophone, Paris 1911-11-04
20. Le clavecin, Mélodie (Paulin) W345 3479c Gramophone, Paris 1919-06-26
21. Le crucifix (Faure) (w. Campagnola) 034201 02877v Gramophone, Paris 1914-01-07
22. Les deux Reines (Mompou) Adieu, mon beau navire (w. chorus) 032177 01775v Gramophone, Paris 1910-12-09
23. Les rameaux (Faure) W350 02919v Gramophone, Paris 1914-04-04
24. Les Saisons (Massé) Chanson du blé 4-32096 16153u Gramophone, Paris 1910-11-25
25. Lombardi (Jérusalem) (Verdi) Grâce, mon Dieu 032189 01797v Gramophone, Paris 1910-12-28
26. Louise (Charpentier) Berceuse, 4 acte 032203 01975v Gramophone, Pa ris 1911-07-10
27. Louise (Charpentier) Le bonheur vois-tu (w. Brohly) 34311 2741ah Gramophone, Paris 1913-09-19
28. Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Massenet) W345 3489c Gramophone, Paris 1919-06-26
29. Robert le Diable Ah, l’honnête homme (w. Tirmont) 034130 02385v Gramophone, Paris 1912-05-03
30. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Console-toi, pauvre âme (w. Campagnola & Payan) 034156 02527v Gramophone, Paris 1912-09-12
31. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Où suis-je (w. Campagnola & Payan) 034155 02528v Gramophone, Paris 1912-09-12
32. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Isis, c’est l’heure (w. chorus) 4-32243 16522u Gramophone, Paris 1911-07-05