Edmond Vergnet

Last updated

Edmond-Alphonse Vergnet (4 July 1850, Montpellier-d 15 February 1904, Nice) was a French operatic tenor.

Biography

Vergnet studied singing in Paris before making his professional opera début at the Paris Opéra in 1874 as Raimbaut in Giacomo Meyerbeer's Robert le diable . He continued to sing leading tenor roles at that house for many years including the title role in Charles Gounod's Faust , Léopold in Fromental Halévy's La Juive , Ruodi in Gioachino Rossini's Guillaume Tell , Laertes in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet , Don Ottavio in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni , Fernand in Donizetti's La favorite , Max in Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz , Alim in Jules Massenet’s Le roi de Lahore , John of Leyden in Giacomo Meyerbeer's Le prophète , Vasco da Gama in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine , Samson in Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila and the title role in Richard Wagner's Lohengrin . [1]

At the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, Vergnet portrayed John the Baptist in the world premiere of Massenet's Hérodiade (1881) and Shahabarim in Ernest Reyer’s Salammbô (1890). He sang at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (1881–2) as Radames, Faust, Belmonte and Wilhelm Meister. In 1883 he created Admetus in Alfredo Catalani’s Dejanice at La Scala. At the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (1884–9) he sang Riccardo in Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera , the title role in Fra Diavolo , Raoul de Nangis in Les Huguenots , Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor , the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto , Gérald in Léo Delibes's Lakmé , and Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio . He also sang Zarastra in the world premiere of Massenet's Le mage (1891) and Dominique in the world premiere of Alfred Bruneau’s L'attaque du moulin at the Opéra-Comique (1894). [1]

Related Research Articles

A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek βαρύτονος (barýtonos), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C (i.e. F2–F4) in choral music, and from the second A below middle C to the A above middle C (A2 to A4) in operatic music, but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of baritone include the baryton-Martin baritone (light baritone), lyric baritone, Kavalierbariton, Verdi baritone, dramatic baritone, baryton-noble baritone, and the bass-baritone.

Hariclea Darclée

Hariclea Darclée was a celebrated Romanian operatic soprano who had a three-decade-long career.

Jean-François Lapointe Canadian baritone opera singer

Jean-François Lapointe is a Canadian baritone opera singer.

Pol Plançon French operatic bass

Pol Henri Plançon was a distinguished French operatic bass. He was one of the most acclaimed singers active during the 1880s, 1890s and early 20th century—a period often referred to as the "Golden Age of Opera".

Giuseppe Cremonini

Giuseppe Cremonini was an Italian operatic tenor who had a prominent opera career in Europe and the United States during the last decade of the nineteenth century.

Romilda Pantaleoni Italian soprano

Romilda Pantaleoni was an Italian soprano who had a prolific opera career in Italy during the 1870s and 1880s. She sang a wide repertoire that encompassed bel canto roles, Italian and French grand opera, verismo operas, and the German operas of Richard Wagner. She became particularly associated with the roles of Margherita in Boito's Mefistofele and the title role in Ponchielli's La Gioconda; two roles which she performed in opera houses throughout Italy. She is best remembered today for originating the roles of Desdemona in Giuseppe Verdi's Otello (1887) and Tigrana in Giacomo Puccini's Edgar (1889). Universally admired for her acting skills as well as her singing abilities, Pantaleoni was compared by several critics to the great Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse.

Franz Ferenczy

Franz Ferenczy was a nineteenth-century German tenor who had a prolific opera career in Europe between 1859-1880. Possessing a powerful voice with a wide vocal range, Ferenczy particularly excelled in the operas of Giacomo Meyerbeer and Richard Wagner. He is best remembered today for originating the role of Samson in the world premiere of Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila in 1877. His brother, José Ferenczy (1852–1908), was also a successful operatic tenor.

Alexandre Lapissida

Alexandre Lapissida was a French operatic tenor, producer, director and theatre manager.

Blanche Deschamps-Jéhin

Blanche Deschamps-Jéhin was a French operatic contralto who had a prolific career in France from 1879-1905. She possessed a rich-toned and flexible voice that had a wide vocal range. She sang in numerous world premieres throughout her career, most notably originating the title role in Jules Massenet’s Hérodiade in 1881.

Hector Dupeyron (1861–1911) was a French operatic tenor who had a prolific opera career in Europe from 1887 through 1906. Possessing a powerful and dramatic voice, he particularly excelled in the works of Richard Wagner and Giacomo Meyerbeer.

Mécène Marié de lIsle

Mécène Marié de l'Isle was a French musician and opera singer, who used the stage name Marié.

Gottardo Aldighieri was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major opera career in Italy from 1858 to 1885. He possessed a powerful and beautiful voice and appeared on the stages of most of Italy's great opera houses. He sang a broad repertoire which encompassed works by Italian, French, and German composers. His vocal range was wide, which enabled him to tackle some tenor roles during his career, although he mostly stayed within the baritone repertory. The composer Luigi Arditi devoted his famous waltz song, Il bacio, to him. He was married to the soprano Maria Spezia-Aldighieri, who also had an important opera career in Italy. He is the great grandfather of singer George Aaron.

Prosper Dérivis French operatic bass

Nicolas-Prosper Dérivis was a French operatic bass. He possessed a rich deep voice that had a great carrying power. While he could easily assail heavy dramatic roles, he was also capable of executing difficult coloratura passages and performing more lyrical parts. Along with Nicolas Levasseur, he was one of the greatest French basses of his generation.

Giacomo Roppa

Giacomo Roppa was an Italian operatic tenor who was active career in Italy's most important opera houses from the 1830s through the 1850s. He also made appearances at the Liceu in Spain. He is best remembered for creating the role of Jacopo Foscari in the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's I due Foscari in 1844.

Agustarello Affre French operatic tenor

Agustarello Affre was a French operatic tenor. He possessed a powerful, firm and exceptionally beautiful voice which garnered him the nickname the "French Tamagno" in comparison to the great Italian tenor. He was one of the leading operatic tenors in Paris from 1890 to 1911. He spent the last years of his career singing and directing operas in the United States. After World War I, he lived in retirement in France.

Lodovico Graziani Italian opera singer 1820-85

Lodovico Graziani was an Italian operatic tenor. According to John Warrack and Ewan West, writing in The Oxford Dictionary of Opera: "His voice was clear and vibrant, but he lacked dramatic gifts." He is now mainly remembered for having created the role of Alfredo Germont in the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata in 1853.

Eugène-Charles Caron was a French operatic baritone. He was born in Rouen and after studying at the Paris Conservatory, made his stage debut in 1862 as Count di Luna in Verdi's Le trouvère. He sang leading roles at the Paris Opera for 25 years, including the world premieres of operas by Auguste Mermet and Victorin de Joncières and an oratorio by Jules Massenet.

Charles Rousselière

Charles Rousselière was French operatic tenor who performed primarily at the Paris Opera, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, and the Opéra-Comique. He sang in the world premieres of several operas, including the title role in Charpentier's Julien and Giorgio in Mascagni's Amica.

Marthe Duvivier

Marthe Louise Ernestine Duvivier was a French operatic mezzo-soprano.

Guy Fouché French operatic tenor

Guy Fouché was a French operatic tenor.

References

  1. 1 2 Elizabeth Forbes: "Edmond Vergnet", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed February 28, 2009), (subscription access)