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. Tarass Boulba (Rousseau) Ah, par pitié ne raillez pas P388 21837u Gramophone, Paris 1920-12
2. Tarass Boulba (Rousseau) O ma reine P388 21836u Gramophone, Paris 1920-12
3. Prince Igor (Borodin) Lentement baisse le jour Odeon 123.543
4. Werther (Massenet) Duo du 2° acte with Roger Bourdin Odeon 123.557
5. Werther (Massenet) Duo du 2ème acte with Germaine Cernay Odeon 123.700
6. Werther (Massenet) Il faut nous séparer with Germaine Cernay Odeon 123.556 XXP6692
7. Werther (Massenet) Invocation à la nature 123.557 XXP6994 Odeon, Paris 1929-12-28
8. Werther (Massenet) J’aurais sur ma poitrine Odeon 188.502
9. Werther (Massenet) Je ne sais si je veille W406 03331v Gramophone, Paris 1920-03-06
10. Werther (Massenet) Lorsque l’enfant revient 0463 740 Pathé, Paris 1924
11. Werther (Massenet) Lorsque l’enfant revient d’un voyage 188.502 KI 1029-2 Odeon, Paris 1927
12. Werther (Massenet) Lorsque l’enfant revient W406 03336-2v Gramophone, Paris 1920-03-10
13. Werther (Massenet) Mort de Werther (w. Cernay & chorus) 123.585 XXP6745-2 Odeon, Paris 1928-11-24
14. Werther (Massenet) Nous avez dit vrai (w. Cernay) 123.556 XXP6692 Odeon, Paris 1928-05-31
15. Werther (Massenet) Oui, c’est moi, je reviens (w. Brohly) 2567 1478 Pathé, Paris 1924
16. Werther (Massenet) Pourquoi me reveiller 188.503 KI 1031 Odeon, Paris 1927
17. Werther (Massenet) Werther, Werther…Werther (Massenet)… Et puis, il ne faut pas (Massenet) with Germaine Cernay Odeon 123.586, 123.586, XXP6746-1, XXP6993-1 Odeon
18. Deux sous de fleurs (Benatzky) C’est la plus belle des roses Odeon 166.696 KI6207
19. Deux sous de fleurs (Benatzky) J’entends la chanson Odeon 166.696 KI6208