Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Feb 18, 2012

Léon Beyle (Tenor) (Lyon, France 1871 – Lyon, France 1922)



                                                                 Werther

He made his debut in 1897 at the Grand Opéra in Paris as Don Ottavio in ‘’Don Giovanni’’ of Mozart. In 1898 he was engaged to sing at the  Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he remained till 1914. Here in 1903 he had one of his biggest success in Massenet’s ‘’'Werther’’. In 1905 he performed as Werther in the 100th performance of the opera at the Opéra-Comique. Here he also appeared in several premieres including: ‘’La fille de Tabarin’’ of Pierné (20. 1. 1901), ‘’La fille de Roland’’ of Rabaud (16. 3. 1904), ‘’Aphrodite’’ of Camille Erlanger (24. 3. 1906), ‘’La Lépreuse’’ of Silvio Lazzari (7. 2. 1912), ‘’La Sorcière’’, again of C. Erlanger (10. 12. 1912), and ‘’Le Carilloneur’’ of Xavier Leroux (20. 3. 1913). In 1908 he belonged to the première ensemble of Rimsky-Korssakov’s ‘’Snegourotchka’’. In 1910 he substituted for the ill Enrico Caruso at a guest performance of the New York Metropolitan opera in Paris appearing as Cavaradossi in Puccini’s ‘’Tosca’’ with Geraldine Farrar and Antonio Scotti. After his retirement, Beyle taught singing in Paris and later in Lyon, the city where he was born and died.

Chronology of some appearances

1897 Paris Grand Opéra Don Giovanni (Don Ottavio)
1901 Paris Opéra-Comique La fille de Tabarin
1903 Paris Opéra-Comique Werther (Werther) 
1904 Paris Opéra-Comique La fille de Roland 
1906 Paris Opéra-Comique Aphrodite
1912 Paris Opéra-Comique La Lépreuse
1912 Paris Opéra-Comique La Sorcière
1913 Paris Opéra-Comique Le Carilloneur

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 






Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903?
Les dragons de Villars (Maillart): Ne parle pas, Rose, je t'en supplie 3240

G&T, Paris 1904
Lakme (Delibes): Fantaisie aux divins mensonges 2-32612  2744F
Carmen (Bizet): Duo du dernier acte with Marié de l'Isle  34126 3969F
Traviata (Verdi): Chanson à boire 
3-32198 3443F

Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1904?
Manon (Massenet): Duo de la rencontre with Carre 2534
Manon (Massenet): Duo with Carré  674 

G&T, Paris 1905
Roi d'Ys (Lalo): Vainement, ma bien-aimé (Aubade) (w. chorus) 34664 4415o 
Faust (Gounod): Salut, ô mon dernier matin (w. chorus) 34644 4302o 
Carmen (Bizet): La fleur que tu m'avais jetee 3-32611 5039o 
Mignon (Thomas): Adieu, Mignon 4-32163 9091u
Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Ah, jour de deuil (w. chorus) 34659 4410o
Faust (Gounod): Entrée de Faust et Marguérite with Laute-Brun & chorus 34663 4414o

Zonophone, Paris 1905
Cid (Massenet): O Souverain X-82498
Juive (Halevy): Dieu m'éclaire X-82503
Mignon (Thomas): Elle ne croyait pas X-82500
Si j'étais roi (Adam): J'ignorais son nom X-82501

G&T, Paris 1906
Manon (Massenet): Et je sais votre nom with Korsoff  34151 5794o
Mireille (Gounod): O Magali with Korsoff   34158 5823o
Manon (Massenet): On l'appelle Manon with Korsoff   34150 5793o
Traviata (Verdi): Loin de Paris with Korsoff   34153 5816o
Traviata (Verdi): Un jour pour charmer ma vie with Korsoff   34159  5822o

Zonophone, Paris 1906
Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Asile hereditaire X-82649
Lakme (Delibes): Fantaisie aux divins mensonges ZX-82652
Rigoletto (Verdi): Qu'une belle X-82605
Lakmé (Delibes) Ah, viens dans la forêt profonde X-82653

G&T, Paris 1907
Rigoletto (Verdi): Belle fille with Korsoff, Cléry, Dufranne 34016 562i
Traviata (Verdi): Amis, buvons jusqu'a la lie with Korsoff   34186 7385o
Pecheurs de perles (Bizet): Ton coeur n'as pas compris with Korsoff   34190 5052h
Pecheurs de perles (Bizet): C'est toi qu'enfin je revois with Dufranne 34169x 5096h
Bohème (Puccini): Ah, Mimi, s'en est allée with Dufranne 34168x 5095h
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Vers toi toujours with Korsoff   34189 5051h

G&T, Paris 1908
Romeo et Juliette (Massenet): Duo de la chambre with Korsoff   34194 5748h
Romeo et Juliette (Massenet): Juliette est vivante with Korsoff   34195 5749½h
Romeo et Juliette (Massenet): Madrigal with Vallandri 34216 5715h
Faust (Gounod): Salut, ô mon dernier matin 3-32797 5642h

Victor, USA 1908
Manon (Massenet): Le reve 45008-B 5628h
Manon: Nous vivrons а Paris with Korsoff  45009-B  5750h

Gramophone, Paris 1908
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): L'aube vermeille 3-32793 5607h
Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens 3-32794 5627h
Carmen (Bizet): Parle  moi de ma mere  with Vallandri 034036 593i
Roi d'Ys (Lalo): Vainement, ma bien-aimée 3-32788  5643h
Roméo et Juliette (Massenet): Cavatine 3-32779 5554h
Roméo et Juliette (Massenet): Salut, tombeau 3-32780 5555½h
Faust (Gounod): En vain j'interroge 3-32790 5593h
Manon (Massenet): Le rêve 3-32795 5628h
Carmen (Bizet): La fleur 3-32787 5608h 
Manon (Massenet): Et je sais votre nom with Korsoff 34198 5735h
Carmen (Bizet): Celle que vous aimez est ici with Dufranne 34199 5828h
Manon (Massenet): Adieu, notre petite table with Vallandri 34197 5716h
Panis angelicus (Franck) with Auguez de Montalant 34200 5843½h

Gramophone, Paris 1908-10
Lohengrin (Wagner): Recit du Graal 032101 879i

Gramophone, Paris 1908-11-04
Lohengrin (Wagner): Mon cygne aimé 032102  0846v

Gramophone, Paris 1908-12-23
Sigurd (Reyer): Oui, Sigurd est vainqueur 3-32941 14213u
Désert (David): Hymne à la nuit 3-32943  14215u
Désert (David): La rêverie du soir 3-32938  14210u
Sigurd (Reyer): J'ai gardé mon âme 3-32940 14212u

Gramophone, Paris 1909-02-08
Manon (Massenet): Duo final, pt 1, pt 2 with Korsoff   34043, 0892-2v
Manon (Massenet): Duo final, pt 2 with Korsoff  34044 0893

Gramophone, Paris 1909-03-11
Dragons de Villars (Maillart): Moi, jolie? with Kerlord 34255 14454u

Gramophone, Paris 1909-03-26
Muette de Portici (Auber): Amis, la matinée est belle 4-32035 14514u

Gramophone, Paris 1909-11-20
Sérénade (Pierné) 4-32001 15443u

Gramophone, Paris 1910-02-26
Manon (Massenet): Ah, Des Grieux with Vallandri 034055 01328v
Manon (Massenet): Le ciel lui-même te pardonne with Vallandri 034056 01329v
Manon (Massenet): Ah fuyez, douce image 4-32011 15525u

Gramophone, Paris 1910-05-19
Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Nature immense 032143 01491v

Gramophone, Paris 1910-06-09
Herodiade (Massenet): Salome! Jean! 034065 01536v
Herodiade (Massenet): Ami, la mort n'est pas cruelle  034066 01537v
Herodiade (Massenet): Jean, je te revois 034067 01538v
Herodiade (Massenet): Pour moi, tout autre est le destin 034068 01539v

Gramophone, Paris 1910-06-21
Si j'étais roi (Adam): J'ignorais son nom 032149 01565v

Gramophone, Paris 1910-07-04
Jocelyn (Godard): Berceuse 4-32091 15894u

Gramophone, Paris 1910-09-07
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Bientôt l'herbe des champs 4-32105 15923u
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): O bel ange 4-32106 15924u

Gramophone, Paris 1910-12-20
Si j'étais roi (Adam): Un regard de ses yeux 4-32097 P123

Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-05
Fortunio (Messager): Ma vieille maison grise 4-32104 16214u

Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-10
Faust (Gounod): Le jour va luire with Heilbronner and Payan 034092 01818v
Faust (Gounod): Oui, c'est toi, je t'aime with  Heilbronner 034090 01816v
Faust (Gounod): Divine pureté with Heilbronner and Payan 034091 01817v

Gramophone, Paris 1911-01-12
Roland à Ronceveaux (Marmet): Superbes Pyrenées 032180 01823v

Pathé, Paris 1912?
Complete Faust (Gounod): with Campredon, Noté, d'Elty, Goulancourt & Gresse

Gramophone, Paris 1912-05-01
La Fille de Roland (Rabaud): air de Gérald 032241 02381v

Gramophone, Paris 1912-12-03
Jongleur de Nôtre-Dame (Massenet): O Liberté, ma mie  032266 02609v

Gramophone, Paris 1912-12-12
Jongleur de Nôtre-Dame (Massenet): L'alleluia du vin 032267 02621v

Gramophone, Paris 1912-12-24
Cid (Massenet): O jours de première tendresse with  Lafargue 034175 02639v
Roma (Massenet): Soir admirable 032276  02642v

Gramophone, Paris 1913-06-17
Castor et Pollux (Rameau): Séjour de l'éternelle paix 032292 02721v

Gramophone, Paris 1913-06-18
Iphigénie en Tauride (Gluck): Unis dès la plus tendre enfance 032294 02726v



3 comments:

  1. MOLTO BELLO!!! Thank you my friend for sharing this very interesting article. Again Thank you very much to your Wonderful WEB SITE and Highly knowledgeable information. More Power! More Blessing! and Good Day! *GOD BLESS*

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for this post about a very important and unduly neglected singer. Having apparently recorded over 300 sides during his somewhat short career he was obviously regraded very highly by the recording world in France during his lifetime. Its also very interesting that according to Ward Marston (I verified this through correspondence with Ward) Beyle was biracial - part Black. You can see this pretty clearly in his photos but its something never mentioned in any of his biographical material. He must be the only Black or partially black opera singer to achieve great success in opera prior to the 1950s besides the Pirogovs in Russia.

    KBR

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your interesting comment.
      Cordially
      Ashot

      Delete