Description

LEILA BEN SEDIRA (ALGER, 17 FEBRUARY, 1902 – PARIS, 1 JUNE, 1982)

First, she studied piano with Lazare-Lévy in Paris, then singing at the Conservatoire National de Paris. She made her debut in 1929 at the Opéra-Comique of Paris as Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann. Here, as a partner of Fedor Chaliapin, she appeared in Il barbiere di Siviglia. In 1931, she sang at the Opéra-Comique in the world premiere of the opera Cantegril by Roger-Ducasse. In 1936, however, she left this theater and began appearing at the famous French provincial theaters. In 1936, she guested at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro. From the beginning of the 1940s, she concentrated more and more on concert activities, which she continued until the end of the 1950s, not only in France but also in Belgium, Holland, England, Sweden, and Italy. Since 1936, she often appeared with the ensemble Ars Rediviva under the direction of Claude Crussard, which was particularly devoted to the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. After her retirement, she taught singing in Paris.

TRACKLIST

1. Hippolyte et Aricie (Rameau) Rossignols amoureux W 1507 2 LA 3699 Gramophone
2. Lakmé (Delibes) Mais je ne sais (w. Fenoyer) 29519 106457 Parlophone
3. Lakmé (Delibes) Pourquoi dans les grands bois 3416 SS1857B Salabert
4. Lakmé (Delibes) Sous le ciel 29513 106195 Parlophone
5. Lakmé (Delibes) Sous les dômes épais (w. Fenoyer) 29519 106456 Parlophone
6. Airs du 18ème siècle (anonyme) (avec clavecin) DB 5023 3m32 Gramophone
7. Les Noces de Jeannette (Massé) Air des meubles 332 3m36 Salabert
8. Mireille (Gounod) O légère hirondelle 29561 R1323 Parlophone
9. 10. Noces de Jeannette (Massé) Air du rossignol, pt 1 and pt 2 3232, 3232, SS1211, SS1212 Salabert
10. Oiseaux si tous les ans; Un moto di givia (Mozart) DA5014 Gramophone
11. Perle du Brésil (David) Air 3339 Salabert
12. Ridente la calma (Mozart) DA5014 Gramophone
13. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Je veux vivre 29561 R1323 Parlophone
14. Lakmé (Delibes) Dans la forêt près de nous 3416 SS1858B Salabert
15. 17. Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy) Viens, nous allons nous asseoir ici… Elléas et petite mère ne parlant-ils jamais de moi (w. Etcheverry) DB5170, DB5171, 2LA3539, 2LA3540 Gramophone
16. Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy) Oh! Cette pierre est lourde (w. Rousseau) DB5174, 2LA3542 Gramophone
17. Thème varié (Saint-Saëns) BP 1537 3m04 Ultraphone
18. Canzonetta (Pasquini) (au piano Simone Gouat) SK 101 2m42 Gramophone