Description

MAURICE RENAUD (BARITONE) (BORDEAUX, FRANCE, 24 JULY, 1861 – PARIS, FRANCE, 16 OCTOBER, 1933)

His real name was Maurice Croneau. He studied singing at the Conservatoire de Paris and later under Dupont and Gevaert in Brussels. He made his debut in 1884 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and remained with the ensemble of this opera house until 1890. During this time, he appeared in the premieres of several operas:

• 1884: Sigurd (Ernest Reyer)
• 1886: Les Templiers (Henry Charles Litolff)
• 1890: Salammbô (Ernest Reyer)
• 1890: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Richard Wagner)

In 1890, he was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where in 1891 he sang the role of Nelusco in Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine, followed by Karnac in Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys. He achieved great success at this opera house until 1902. At the Grand Opéra, he participated in the premieres of the following operas:

• 1893: Deidamia (Henri Maréchal)
• 1894: Djelma (Charles Lefebvre)
• 1895: La Montagne Noire (Augusta Holmès)
• 1895: Tannhäuser (Richard Wagner)
• 1897: Lohengrin (Richard Wagner)
• 1897: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard Wagner)
• 1897: Messidor (A. Bruneau)
• 1900: Lancelot (F. L. R. Joncières)
• 1903: La damnation de Faust (Hector Berlioz)

He made successful guest appearances in Milan (La Scala), London (Covent Garden, 1897-1904), St. Petersburg (Court Opera, 1889), Berlin (Court Opera, 1907), Brussels, and Monte Carlo. In North America, he first sang at the Opera in New Orleans in 1893.

Other notable opera premieres in which he participated include:

• 1898: Henri VIII (C. Saint-Saëns), Covent Garden, London
• 1899: Messaline (Isidore De Lara), Covent Garden, London
• 02.1902: Le jongleur de Notre-Dame (J. Massenet), Opéra de Monte-Carlo
• 1904: Hérodiade (English premiere), Covent Garden, London
• 02.1905: Chérubin (J. Massenet), Opéra de Monte-Carlo
• 03.1905: Amica (P. Mascagni), Opéra de Monte-Carlo
• 11.1905: Mademoiselle de Belle-Isle (Spiro Samara), Teatro Politeama, Genoa
• 06.1906: Ancêtre (C. Saint-Saëns), Opéra de Monte-Carlo
• 1906: Le clown (Isaac de Camondo), Théâtre Nouveau, Paris
• 02.1907: Naïs Micculin (A. Bruneau), Opéra de Monte-Carlo

During the 1906-1910 seasons, he enjoyed great success at the Manhattan Opera House in New York, where he made his debut as Rigoletto and participated in the American premiere of Massenet’s Thaïs (1907). In 1909, he sang in the American premiere of Hérodiade as Herodes. From 1910 to 1912, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, debuting as Rigoletto opposite Nellie Melba as Gilda. He also made guest appearances in North America, including in Chicago and Boston.

In 1912, he returned to France and retired from the stage in Paris, though he made a final appearance in 1919, performing alongside Mary Garden in Massenet’s Cléopâtre. Around 1920, he appeared in French silent films and remained active in Paris as a vocal pedagogue.

TRACKLIST 

1. Favorite (Donizetti): Viens Léonore 32076 711G G&T, Paris 1901
2. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 32077712G G&T, Paris 1901
3. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Jadis quand tu luttas 32078 713G G&T, Paris 1901
4. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile (Prière) 32079 714G G&T, Paris 1901
5. Le rondel de l’adieu (de Lara) 32080 715G G&T, Paris 1901
6. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir 32081 716G G&T, Paris 1901
7. Le soir (Gounod) 32082 717G G&T, Paris 1901
8. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d’amour 32083 718G G&T, Paris 1901
9. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pâle fleur 32084 719G G&T, Paris 1901
10. Carmen (Bizet): Air du Toréador 2-2705 2111b G&T, London 1902
11. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Sérénade 2-2713 2112b G&T, London 1902
12. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Romance de l’étoile 2-2702 2113b G&T, London 1902
13. Le chemin du ciel (Holmès) 2-2703 2114b G&T, London 1902
14. Noël Païen (Massenet) 2-2704 2116b G&T, London 1902
15. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Du temps passé 032039 5715p G&T, Paris 1906
16. Le rondel de l’adieu (de Lara) 3-32669 5716o G&T, Paris 1906
17. Le chemin du ciel (Holmès) 3-32673 5717o G&T, Paris 1906
18. Africaine (Meyerbeer): Fille des rois 032040 5718p G&T, Paris 1906
19. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Vrai Dieu… Une puce gentille 3-32670 5727o G&T, Paris 1906
20. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 032041 5728p G&T, Paris 1906
21. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d’amour 032042 5729p G&T, Paris 1906
22. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pâle fleur 3-32674 5730o G&T, Paris 1906
23. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile (Prière) 3-32671 5731o G&T, Paris 1906
24. Tannhäuser (Wagner): O douce étoile 3-32675 5735o G&T, Paris 1906
25. Favorite (Donizetti): Léonore viens 032043 5736p G&T, Paris 1906
26. Carmen (Bizet): Votre toast 032044 5778p G&T, Paris 1906
27. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir 032045 5779p G&T, Paris 1906
28. Le soir (Gounod) 3-32672 5780o G&T, Paris 1906
29. Noël païen (Massenet) 3-32676 5786o G&T, Paris 1906
30. Plaisir d’amour (Martini) 032046 5801p G&T, Paris 1906
31. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032047 5802p G&T, Paris 1906
32. Don Giovanni (Mozart): Ah, viens à la fenêtre (Fr & It) 032051 6113p G&T, Paris 1906
33. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Devant la maison 3-32681 6116o G&T, Paris 1906
34. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032091 863i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
35. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d’amour 032092 864i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
36. Tannhäuser (Wagner): O douce étoile 032093 865i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
37. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 032094 870i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
38. Favorite (Donizetti): Léonore viens 032095 871i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
39. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pâle fleur 032096 872i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
40. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile 032099 873i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
41. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir (Arioso) 032098 874i Gramophone
42. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d’amour 032092x 875i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
43. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Petite Luison… Devant la maison 032100 876i Gramophone
44. Don Giovanni (Mozart): Ah, viens à ta fenêtre 032097 877i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
45. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032091x 878i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15