Charles Rousseliere (Tenor) (Saint-Nazaire 1875 - Joué-lès-Tours 1950)

Originally a blacksmith by trade, he studied with Albert Vaguet at the Paris Conservatoire and made his début at the Opéra as Samson in 1900. The following year he sang in the première of Camille Saint-Saëns's Les barbares, and he remained with the company until 1905. Until 1919 he was a favourite at Monte Carlo, where he appeared first in La damnation de Faust; premières there included Pietro Mascagni's Amica, Saint-Saëns's L’ancêtre and Gabriel Fauré's Pénélope. His début at the Metropolitan in Roméo et Juliette in 1906 coincided with that of Geraldine Farrar , who received more attention; his dramatic skill was appreciated but the power of his voice, sometimes strident, suggested that he should turn to more heroic roles. This he did on his return to France, adding Otello, Lohengrin, Siegfried and Parsifal to his repertory. He also appeared in Berlin, Buenos Aires and Milan, and in his later years sang mostly at the Opéra-Comique where in 1913 he created the title role in Gustave Charpentier's Julien. His varied repertory is well represented in recordings made between 1903 and 1926: his voice is strong and clearly defined, his style authoritative in declamation and well mannered in more lyrical music.

Chronology of some appearances

1905  Montecarlo Teatro del Casinî Amica (Giorgio)
1906 New York Teatro Metropolitan Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1907 New York Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Don Jose)
1907 Montevideo Teatro Solis Don Carlo (Carlo)
1909 Roma Teatro Costanzi Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)
1911 Palermo Teatro Massimo Don Carlo (Carlo)
1911 Madrid Teatro Reale Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

G&T, Paris 1903
Salammbô (Reyer): Ne détourne pas ces regards 2-32753 1678F
Juive (Halevy): Rachel, quand du Seigneur 2-32843 1814F

Juive (Halevy): Dieu m'éclaire 2-32842 1813F

Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens 2-32846 1817F

Walkure (Wagner): Lied du printemps 2-32845 1816F

Tannhauser (Wagner): Adorez Dieu 2-32987 2266F

Favorite (Donizetti): Un nage, une femme inconnue 2-32880 2071F

Iphigénie en Tauride (Gluck): Cavatine de Pylade 2-32808 1799F

Manon (Massenet): Nous vivrons à Paris 34012 1795F

Manon (Massenet): Le Rêve 2-32006?
Paillasse (Leoncavallo) Pauvre Paillasse 2-32752 1673-P1

Manon (Massenet): Ah fuyez, douce image 2-32807 1798F

Mireille (Gounod): O Magali with J. Rousselière  34009 1712F
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Chanson à boire 2-32873 1998F

Mireille (Gounod): Anges du Paradis 2-32816 1802F

Hérodiade (Massenet): Air de Jean 2-32818 1805F

Reine de Chypre (Halevy): Duo  with A. Boyer 34024 2352F

Barbares (Saint-Saens): Divinités libératrices 2-32856 1888F
La Damnation de Faust  (Berlioz) Nature immense 2-32883 2064-P1

Soir d'hiver (Holmès) 2-32984 2185F
Werther (Massenet): Rêve! Extase! Bonheur!  2-32990 2269F

Richard Coeur de Lion (Grétry): Une fievre brulante with  A. Boyer 34023 2350F

Manon (Massenet): Adieu, notre petite table with J. Rousseliere 33314 1797F

Stances (Flégier) 2-32847 1818F

Ai cimitière (Saint-Saëns) 2-32758 1691F

Mon petit Pierrot (Leoncavallo) 2-32919  2135F

Aimons-nous (Saint-Saëns) 2-32817 1804F

Pathe, Paris 1907?

Faust (Gounod): Salut, demeure  4713

Polydor, Paris 1930?

Siegfried (Wagner): La forge 561011 3128BKP

Le Crépuscule des Dieux (Wagner): Mort de Siegfried 561011 3463BKP

La Walkyrie (Wagner): Chant du printemps 566043

Pensée d’automne (Massenet) 566065 1904BMP

Noël Païen (Massenet) 566065 1950½BMP