Description

AGUSTARELLO AFFRE (SAINT-CHINIAN, 23 OCTOBER, 1858 – CAGNES-SUR-MER, FRANCE, 27 DECEMBER, 1931)

 

 

 

 

Discovered by Pierre Gailhard, he initially trained at the conservatories in Toulouse and Paris under Duvernoy. Affre made his debut in 1890 as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, with Nellie Melba as his partner, marking the beginning of his long association with the Grand Opéra.

Throughout the 1890s, he appeared in prominent French cities such as Lyon, Marseille, and Aix-les-Bains, before making his international debut in Brussels at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in 1900. Among his notable performances at the Grand Opéra were his roles in J. Massenet’s Le Mage (1891) and the French premiere of R. Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci in 1902. His repertoire also included important roles like Raoul in Les Huguenots, Eleazar in La Juive, Faust, and Samson in Samson et Dalila.

Affre made guest appearances in London at Covent Garden in 1909 and later in San Francisco (1911), New Orleans (1912), and Havana (1913). His powerful, heroic voice earned him the nickname “The French Tamagno,” drawing comparisons to the famous Italian tenor. He remained active during World War I, giving concerts to French soldiers near the front lines. He passed away in his villa on the Côte d’Azur and was laid to rest in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1890 Paris Grand Opera

1891 Paris Grand Opera

1902 Paris Grand Opera

1905 Paris Grand Opera

1909 London Covent Garden

1911 San Francisco Opera

1912 New Orleans Opera

1913 Havana Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) O ma Sélika (w. Comès) P1501 1501-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
2. Aida (Verdi) Je te revois (w. Marignan) P1503 P1503-1 Pathé – APGA, Paris 1910
3. Aida (Verdi) Mourir, ô toi si belle (w. Marignan) P1503 P1503-2 Pathé – APGA, Paris 1910
4. Astarte (Leroux) Adieux de Hercule P1 1-1 Pathe-APGA, Paris1910
5. Cid (Massenet) O jours (w. Comès) P1502 1502-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
6. Dragons de Villars (Maillart) Ne parle pas, Rose P2 Pathe-APGA, Paris1910
7. Faust (Gounod) Salut, demeure P3 3-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
8. Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Ses jours (w. Albers & Belhomme) P1701 1701-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
9. Hérodiade (Massenet) Air de Jean P3 3-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
10. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Grand duo, 4e acte (w. Comès) P1501 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
11. Juive (Halévy) Dieu, que ma voix tremblante P4 4-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
12. Juive (Halévy) Rachel, quand du Seigneur P4 4-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
13. Le temps des cerises (Renard) P2002 2002-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
14. L’insensé (Rupès) P2001 2001-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
15. Lohengrin (Wagner) Récit du Graal P2 2-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
16. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) O bel ange P5 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
17. Malgré moi (Pfeiffer) P2001 2001-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
18. Mefistofele (Boito) Romance du 1er acte P6 6-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
19. Parais à ta fenêtre (Gregh) P2051 2051-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
20. Quand l’oiseau chante (Tagliafico) P2051 2051-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
21. Sigurd (Reyer) Duo de la fontaine (w.  Comès) P1701 P1701-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
22. Sigurd (Reyer) Esprits gardiens P7 7-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
23. Sigurd (Reyer) Un souvenir poignant Pathe-APGA P7 7-2 Pathe-APGA, Paris1910
24. Stances (Flégier) P2052 2052-1 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910
25. Trovatore (Verdi) Exilé sur la terre P5 5-2 Pathé-APGA, Paris 1910