Description

RENÉ FOURNETS (PAU, AQUITAINE-LIMOUSIN-POITOU-CHARENTES, FRANCE, 2 DECEMBER, 1858 -PARIS, ÎLE-DE-FRANCE, FRANCE, DECEMBER, 1926)

 

 

 

 

He studied singing at the Conservatoire National de Paris under Boulanger and Obin. In 1884, he made his debut at the Opéra-Comique in Paris as Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette. On May 7, 1888, he appeared at the Opéra-Comique in the premiere of Édouard Lalo’s opera Le Roi d’Ys. Over the following eight years, he sang successfully at this opera house. In 1892, he made his debut at the Grand Opéra in Paris as Méphisto in Faust. His repertoire at the Grand Opéra included roles such as Wotan in Die Walküre, Leporello in Don Giovanni, the Landgrave in Tannhäuser, Abimelech in Samson et Dalila, and many other parts.

He also participated in several opera premieres:

1893, Grand Opéra, Paris: Hellé by Alphonse Duvernoy

1899, Grand Opéra, Paris: Briseïs by Emmanuel Chabrier

1900, Grand Opéra, Paris: Lancelot by F. L. R. Joncières

He remained a member of the Grand Opéra until 1899. In 1903, he achieved great success at the Théâtre Gaîté-Lyrique in Paris as Phanuel in Hérodiade. That same year, he performed in the premiere of Eugène d’Harcourt’s opera Le Tasse at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. In 1894, he founded a home in Paris for impoverished young artists.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1884-1892 Paris Opéra-Comique

1892-1899 Paris Grand Opéra

1903 Opéra de Monte-Carlo

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) Filles des rois 3588 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
2. Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Air de la calomnie 32467 341F G&T, Paris 1902
3. Chalêt (Adam) Vallons de l’Helvétie 3566 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
4. Charles VI (Halévy) Guerre aux tyrans 32480 327F G&T, Paris 1902
5. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Sérénade du Méphisto 3556 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
6. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Voice des roses 3555 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
7. Faust (Gounod) Le ciel a visité la terre 3661 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
8. Faust (Gounod) Le veau d’or 32664 1070G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
9. Faust (Gounod) Scène de l’église 32466 340F G&T, Paris 1902
10. Faust (Gounod) Sérénade du Méphisto 3541 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
11. Faust (Gounod) Trio final (w. Tanésy & Vallade) 0759 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1898 – 1900 (or 1902)
12. Faust (Gounod) Trio final with Albertine Lauger-Dubois and Gaston Dubois 8392 Homophone, Paris 1906-07-07
13. Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie (Sérénade) 32665 1069G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
14. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Bénédiction des poignards 17203 Edison 2-min cylinders, Paris 1905
15. Jolie Fille de Perth (Bizet) Air 32689 1202G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
16. Noël (Adam) 3649 Pathé cylinders, Paris 1902/1903
17. Pauvres fous (Tagliafico) 8390 Homophone, Paris 1906-07-07
18. Robert le diable (Meyerbeer) Evocation 32471 345F G&T, Paris 1902
19. Sigurd (Reyer) Invocation de Freïa 17204 Edison 2-min cylinders, Paris 1905