Description

GEORGES JOUATTE (VILLEFAGNAN, CHARENTE, FRANCE 17 JUNE 1892 – LA ROCHELLE, FRANCE 13 FEBRUARY 1969)

 

 

 

 

He was born into a family of beer brewers and supported his singing studies by performing as a dancer at the Casino de Paris. He completed his vocal training in Germany and made his debut in 1932 at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris. Under the guidance of Paul Cabanel and Louis Fourestier, he transitioned to tenor and made his second debut in 1934 at the Grand Opéra in Paris as Faust.

He achieved significant success at the Grand Opéra, notably in 1936 when he portrayed the Italian singer in Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss, with the composer present. His repertoire at the Grand Opéra included roles such as Florestan in Fidelio, Admète in Alceste by Christoph Willibald Gluck, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Erik in Der fliegende Holländer (1937), Ulysse in Pénélope by Gabriel Fauré, and Armal in Gwendoline by Emmanuel Chabrier.

In 1937, he also joined the Opéra-Comique in Paris, making his debut in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and later performing in Claudio Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea. His career included guest appearances in Austria, Italy, Covent Garden in London (as Admète in Alceste), and at the Salzburg Festival in 1933 and 1936. He also performed at the Festival of Montreux, where he sang the tenor solo in Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem under the baton of Bruno Walter.

After retiring from the stage in 1946, he focused on teaching singing in Paris, where he trained notable students, including the renowned soprano Régine Crespin. Additionally, he appeared in the 1923 German film Land ohne Frauen alongside Brigitte Helm and Conrad Veidt.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1923 Paris Théâtre Mogador

1933 Salzburg Festival

1934 Paris Grand Opéra

1936 Salzburg Festival

1937 Paris Opéra-Comique

1937 London Covent Garden

1946 Paris Opéra-Comique

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. L’attaque du moulin (Bruneau) Adieux à la forêt Odéon 123804 xxP 7308 1931-10-16
2. L’Auberge du Cheval-Blanc (Benatzky) Je vous emmenerai with Hélène Regelly Odéon 250280
3. Mandrin (Szule) Chanson de route Pathé CPT 1660 PA446
4. Mandrin (Szule) Les yeux de femmes Pathé CPT 1658 PA446
5. Rose-Marie (Szulc) Par cet espoir d’un jour with Solange Renaux Pathé PA 448
6. Rose-Marie (Szulc) Les Yeux des femmes Pathé PA 446
7. La Chanson du bonheur (Lehár) Pathé PA 717
8. L’Auberge du Cheval-Blanc (Benatzky) Mon chant d’amour Odéon 250280
9. L’Auberge du Cheval-Blanc (Benatzky) Tout bleu with Hélène Regelly Odéon 250279
10. L’Auberge du Cheval-Blanc (Benatzky) Grand Air de Florès et Josépha with Hélène Regelly Odéon 250279
11. Die Walküre (Wagner) Winterstürme wichen Odéon 188793 Ki 3934 1930-12-01
12. La Juive (Halévy) Rachel quand du Seigneur Odéon 188874 Ki 5569 1932-10-04
13. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Ange, sirene ou femme Odéon 166385 Ki 3955 1930-12-04
14. La véritable Manola (Bourgeois) Odéon 250520
15. Les filles de Panama (Mauprey-Pralin) Odéon 250520
16. La damnation de Faust 2e partie (Berlioz) Chant de la Fête de Pâques (1re partie) Columbia CLX 2297 LFX 616
17. La damnation de Faust 3e partie (Berlioz) Scéne XIII Duo (1re partie) with Mona Laurena Columbia CLX 2308 LFX 624
18. La damnation de Faust 3e partie; Scéne XIII Duo (2e partie); Scéne XIV. Trio et choeurs with Mona Laurena Columbia CLX 2296 LFX 624
19. La damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Nord de l’Allemagne Columbia CLX 2312 LFX 616
20. La damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Nature Immense Columbia CLX2312