Léon Melchissédec (Baritone) (Clermont Ferrand 1843 - Paris 1925)

He studied at the Paris Conservatory, where in 1865 he won the first price. He made his debut in 1866 at the Opéra-Comique of Paris. Here he appeared till 1876 and sang in the premieres of the operas ‘’Le premier jour de bonheur’’ of Auber (1868) and ‘’L'Amour africain’’ of Paladilhe (1875) as well as in the premiere of Jacques Offenbach’s ‘’Fantasio’’ (18. 1. 1872). In 1876 he engaged by the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris. Here he sang on 15. 11. 1876 in the premiere of  ‘’Paul et Virginie’’ of Massé and on 23. 2. 1877 in the premiere of ‘’Le timbre d'argent’’ of Saint-Saëns. In 1879 he was engaged by the Paris Grand Opéra (beginning role: Nevers in Meyerbeer’s ‘’Huguenots’’). In this opera house where he performed till 1891 and again from the year 1905  to 1912 he had great success. On 1. 4. 1881 he sang at the Grand Opéra in the premiere of the opera ‘’Le Tribut de Zamora’’ of Gounod, on 30. 11. 1885 in the premiere of Massenet ‘’Le Cid’’, likewise in 1885 in ‘’Tabarin’’ of Emile Pessard (in the title part) and on 14. 4. 1882 in ‘’Francoise de Rimini’’ from A.Thomas. In 1888 he sang there in the première of opera ‘’Roméo et Juliette’’ of Gounod as a partner of Adelina Patti, Jean de Reszke and Édouard de Reszke. On 18. 2. 1893 he appeared at the opera house of Monte Carlo in the stage premiere of the opera ‘’Damnation de Faust’’ of Berlioz as a partner of Jean de Reszke, on 14. 3. 1897 in Isidore de Lara’s Opera ‘’Moina’’. On 21.3.1899 he sang in Monte Carlo where he appeared till 1902 in the premiere of the opera very successful at that time ‘’Messaline’’ of Isidore de Lara. Since 1894 he was a professor of the Paris Conservatory.

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Berliner, Paris 1899-07-25

Le Caid (Thomas): Enfant cheri (Air du Tambour-Major) 32639 3069

Pathe cylinders (black wax), Paris 1902-11

Les Dragons de Villars (Maillart): Chanson a boire 3699

Zonophone, Paris 1902-11?

La Marseillaise (de Lisle) X-2060

A.P.G.A., Paris 1907-03

Africaine (Meyerbeer): Fille des rois, a toi l'hommage 1624

Africaine (Meyerbeer): Adamastor, roi des vagues profondes (Ballade) 1625

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Et c'est toi qui dechires mon вme (Eri tu) 1626

Rigoletto (Verdi): Oh! Mes maоtres, ma voix vous implore (Miei signori) 1627

A.P.G.A., Paris 1908

Don Giovanni (Mozart): Je suis sous ta fenetre (Serenade) 1990

Romeo et Juliette (Gounod): Soyez les bienvenus...Allons! Jeunes gens! (Air de la Reine Mab) 1991