The real name of this singer was Émile Coussirat. He received his education at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux under the pedagogue Sarreau. He made his debut in 1883 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in the title role of A. Grétry’s Richard Coeur-de-Lion. He subsequently performed in Ghent and Antwerp.

In the 1886-1887 and 1893-1894 seasons, he sang at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and later at the Opéra National de Lyon. During the 1888-1891 seasons, he performed at the Grand Opéra in Paris, making his debut as Fernando in G. Donizetti’s La Favorita. He also appeared in the premiere of C. Saint-Saëns’s Ascanio on March 21, 1890.

In 1891, he toured North America, making guest appearances in New Orleans and New York, and sang for three seasons at the Opéra de Nice, where he performed roles such as Werther and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. In 1894, he took part in the premiere of R. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and later performed the role of Tristan at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

On December 30, 1896, he became the first French Walther von Stolzing in the premiere of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Opéra de Lyon, with his wife, the mezzo-soprano Emma Coussirat, appearing as Magdalene. He also made guest appearances at Covent Garden in London in 1891, 1894, and 1900, singing roles such as Raoul in Les Huguenots and Don José in Carmen.

In 1900, he performed at the Théâtre Lyrique Renaissance in Paris in the premiere of G. Marty’s Le Duc de Ferrara and as Pylade in Iphigénie en Tauride. In Cairo, he appeared as Lohengrin and Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles. In 1901, at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, he sang the role of Samson in C. Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila.

In 1902, he appeared at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in the premiere of C. M. von Weber’s Euryanthe as Adolar, and also sang Carlo in G. Donizetti’s Linda di Chamounix and in G. Verdi’s Requiem under A. Toscanini. He later lived in Canada.