Description

ALBERT ALVAREZ (BORDEAUX, 16 JANUARY, 1861 – NICE, 1 FEBRUARY, 1933)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Raymond Gourron. He was initially a bandmaster of a military chapel, but in 1883, he began studying singing under Martini in Paris. He made his debut in 1886 at the Opéra of Ghent in Gounod’s Faust. He then sang in Lyon and Marseille in 1892 before joining the Grand Opéra in Paris. On June 20, 1894, he sang the role of Nicias in the premiere of Massenet’s Thaïs. In 1895, he performed in the world premiere of Augusta Holmès’s La Montagne Noire. Two years later, he appeared as Walther von Stolzing in the Paris premiere of Wagner’s Meistersinger (in French).

In 1897, he participated in the world premiere of A. Bruneau’s Messidor, and in 1901, he was in the world premiere of Xavier Leroux’s Astarte. He also performed in Camille Erlanger’s Le fils de l’Étoile in 1904. At the Grand Opéra, he took part in the premieres of Victor Duvernoy’s Hellé (1896), Paul Vidal’s La Burgonde (1898), and Ernest Guiraud’s Fredegonde (1905).

In Monte Carlo, he starred in the world premieres of Messaline by Isidore de Lara (March 21, 1899) and Hélène by Saint-Saëns (February 18, 1904). He was well-acquainted with Jules Massenet and the composer Isidore de Lara. He frequently guest-starred at Covent Garden Opera in London from 1893 to 1903, where he sang Araquil in the world premiere of Massenet’s La Navarraise (June 20, 1894) and Roméo in the world premiere of de Lara’s Amy Robsart (1893).

In the 1899-1903 seasons, he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. He undertook a major tour in Belgium and Germany in 1907-1908. He later returned to the Grand Opéra and eventually worked as a teacher in Paris.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1886 Ghent Opera House Faust

1892 Lyon Opera House

1892 Marseille Opera House

1893-1903 London Covent Garden

1894 Paris Grand Opera Thaïs

1895 Paris Grand Opera La Montagne Noire

1896 Hellé Paris Grand Opera

1897 Paris Grand Opera Meistersinger and Messidor

1898 Paris Grand Opera La Burgonde

1899 Monte Carlo Opera House Messaline

1899-1903 New York Metropolitan Opera

1901 Paris Grand Opera Astarte

1904 Paris Grand Opera Le fils de l’Étoile

1905 Paris Grand Opera Fredegonde

1907-08 Belgium and Germany Tour

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) Air de Vasco de Gama 1655 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
2. Bonjour Suzon (Pessard) 1647 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
3. Carmen (Bizet) Air de la fleur 1644 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
4. Cid (Massenet) Air de Rodrigue 1649 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
5. Faust (Gounod) Salut, demeure 0241 Pathé, Paris 1905
6. Faust (Gounod) Salut, ô mon dernier matin 0244 Pathé, Paris 1905
7. Favorite (Donizetti) Duo du IVe acte (w. Delna) 0236 Pathé, Paris 1905
8. Joseph (Méhul) Champ paternel 1658 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
9. La rosilla (Yradier) 1629 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
10. Lasciali dir (Tosti) 1637 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
11. Le biniou (Durand) 1626 Pathé, Paris 1908
12. Le soir (Gounod) 1646 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
13. Les boeufs (Dupont) 1664 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
14. Martha (Flotow) Lorsqu’à mes yeux 1628 Pathé, Paris 1908
15. Me cal mouri (Tasmin) 0233 Pathé, Paris 1905