Description

CHARLES FRIANT (MONTMARTRE, DISTRICT OF PARIS, 12 JANUARY, 1890 – PARIS, 22 APRIL, 1947)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Auguste Charles Paul Friant. Like his father and grandfather, both of whom were dancers, he began his studies at the École de Danse de l’Opéra in Paris. He was also a pupil of Sarah Bernhardt, with whom he undertook a European tour during the 1908-09 season. Later, he studied singing under Léon Melchissèdec at the Conservatoire de Paris. His real debut as an opera singer came only after the First World War when he appeared as Spakos in the first French performance of Jules Massenet’s Cléopâtre at the Théâtre Lyrique du Vaudeville. Between 1918-1919, he sang at Grenoble’s Grand Théâtre.

In 1920, he was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he made his debut in Massenet’s Werther to great acclaim. Friant performed at the Opéra-Comique until 1939. Notably, on November 22, 1919, he appeared in the premiere of Samuel-Rousseau’s opera Taras Bulba. In 1920, he sang in the premiere of Alfred Bruneau’s opera Le Roi Candaule at the Opéra-Comique, and the following year in Dans l’ombre de la Cathédrale by Georges Hüe. In 1923, he performed in Le Hulla by Samuel-Rousseau, in 1927 in Le Bon Roi Dagobert by the same composer, in 1928 in Riquet à la houppe by Georges Hüe, and in 1929 in La Peau de Chagrin by Charles Lavadé.

Friant also made guest appearances at the operas in Brussels, Nice, and Monte Carlo, as well as on various French provincial stages. He retired from the stage in 1946.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1918-1919 Grenoble Grand Théâtre

1920 Paris Opéra-Comique Werther

1920 Paris Opéra-Comique Le Roi Candaule

1920 Paris Opéra-Comique Le Hulla

1927 Paris Opéra-Comique Le bon roi Dagobert

1929 Paris Opéra-Comique Le Peau de Chagrin

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Jongleur de Notre Dame (Massenet) Liberté, ô liberté, ma mie 123.549 XXP6657 Odeon, Paris 1928-04-24
2. Jongleur de Notre-Dame (Massenet) O liberté, ma mie 0360 Pathé, Paris 1923
3. La Hulla (Samuel-Rousseau) Nos destins sont écrits 0415 1462 Pathé, Paris 1924
4. La Nuit de Mai (Rimsky-Korsakov) Air P452 (4-32524) Gramophone, Paris 1922-11-07
5. Lakmé (Delibes) Fantaisie au divin mensonge 171.012 XXP6445-1(XX4-1) Odeon, Paris 1927
6. L’Attaque du Moulin (Bruneau) Adieux à la forêt 123.549 XXP6655 Odeon, Paris 1928-04-24
7. 8. Le Peau de Chagrin (Levadé) Duo act 4, pt 1 and pt 2 (w. Peters) 123.649 123.649 XXP6892 XXP6893
8. L’Enfant Prodigue (Debussy) O temps a jamais efface 171.028 Odeon
9. 11. Manon (Massenet) Ah! Des Grieux (La mort de Manon, pt 1)… Le ciel lui même te pardonne (La mort de Manon, pt 2) (w. Luart) 123.658, 123.658 XXP6923-2 XXP6924-3
10. Manon (Massenet) Ah! Fuyez douce image 171.012 XXP6443-1 (XX2-1) Odeon, Paris 1927
11. 14. Manon (Massenet) J’ai marque l’heure du depart… Nous vivrons а Paris tous les deux Odeon 123657 XXP6921, 123.658 XXP6923
12. 16. Manon (Massenet) J’écris à mon père… Vous aimer (w. Delmas) 123.706 123.706 XXP7090 XXP7091 Odeon, Paris 1930-06-20
13. Manon (Massenet) Le rêve 188.668 Ki2455-2 Odeon, Paris 1929-07-03
14. Marouf (Rabaud) Dans le jardin fleuri 188.668 Ki2454-3 Odeon, Paris 1929-07-03
15. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Pauvre Pailasse 0415 1466 Pathé, Paris 1924
16. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Un tal gioco Ki3836 Odeon, Paris 1930-11-18