Hector Dufranne (Baritone) (Mons, France 1871- Paris, France 1951)

                                                                   Escamilio

                                                            John the Baptist

He received his education in Brussels and debuted in 1896 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels as Valentin in ‘’Faust’’ of Gounod. In 1899 he came to the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he sang many years. He appeared there he in many premieres, thus on 29. 4. 1901 in ‘’L'Ouragan’’ of A. Bruneau, on 20. 11. 1901 in ‘’Grisélidis’’ of Massenet, on 30. 4. 1902 in ‘’Pelléas et Mélisande’’ of Debussy, on 16. 3. 1904 in ‘’La fille de Roland’’ of Rabaud, on 9. 11. 1906 in ‘’Les Armaillis’’ of Gustave Doret, on 6. 11. 1907 in ‘’Le Chemineau’’ of Xavier Leroux, on 26. 2. 1908 in ‘’La Habanéra’’ of Laparra, on 19. 5. 1911 in ‘’L'Heure espagnole’’ of Ravel. On 7. 2. 1907 he sang at the opera house of Monte Carlo in the premiere of Massenet’s ‘’Thérèse’’, in the same 1907 also appeared in the premiere of the opera ‘’Naïs Micculin’’ of Alfred Bruneau. In 1914 he made guest appearance at Covent Garden in London. Since 1907 he was also member of the Grand Opéra Paris; here he sang in 1910 the role of Jochanaan in the première of Richard Strauss’s opera ‘’Salome’’. From 1908-10 he was engaged by the Manhattan opuses House in New York (here he sang among other things in 1908 the role of  Golaud in the American première of ‘’Pelléas et Mélisande’’), in 1910’s he was a member of the Chicago Opera. Here he sang on 30. 12. 1921 in the premiere of the opera ‘’L'Amour trois oranges’’ of Prokofieff. Since 1922 he was active again in France. On 25. 6. 1923 he appeared in the premiere of Manuel de Falla’s Opera ‘’El retablo de Maese Pedro’’ in the private theater of the princess de Polignac in Paris singing the title part. In 1924 he appeared at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris in the premiere of  ‘’Les Burgraves’’ of Léon Sachs. After his retiremet he lived in Paris, where he taught singing for many years before his death in 1951.                     

Chronology of some appearances

1909 New York  Manhattan Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1909 Philadelphia  Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1910 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1910 Atlanta  Opera Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Philadelphia  Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Escamilio)

1911  St.Paul  Auditorium Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Baltimora  Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Philadelphia  Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Boston  Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1911  Milwaukee  Pabst Theater Carmen (Escamilio)

1912 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Escamilio)

1912 Chicago  Civic Opera House Mignon (Laerte)

1912 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1914 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1915 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1915 Chicago  Civic Opera House Werther (Albert)

1916 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1917 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

RECODINGS FOR SALE

G&T, Paris 1904
Grisélidis (Massenet): Oiseau qui part 3-32320 3932F

G&T, Paris 1905
Carmen (Bizet): Votre toast with chorus 34678 4562o
Carmen (Bizet): Si tu m'aimes, Carmen with Marié de l'Isle 34147 5086o

G&T, Paris 1906

Joconde (Nicolo): Dans un delire extreme 3-32650 5327o

G&T, Paris 1907-10?

Rigoletto (Verdi): Belle fille with Korsoff, Clery and Beyle 34016 562i

Reine de Chypre (Halevy): Triste exile with  Beyle 034017 585i

Boheme (Puccini): Ah, Mimi, s'en est allee with Beyle 34168x 5095h

Pecheurs de perles (Bizet): C'est toi qu'enfin je revois with Beyle 34169x 5096h

Le crucifix (Faure) with.Beyle & chorus 34191 5120h

Gramophone, Paris 1907-11/12
Manon (massenet): A quoi bon l'économie 3-32767 5330h

Gramophone, Paris 1908

Lakmé (Delibes): Lakmé, ton doux regard (Stances) 3-32815 5827h

Freischütz (Weber): Chanson à boire 32816 5829h

Manon (Massenet): Pardon, mais j'etais la  with Korsoff 034021 W228

G&T, Paris 1905

Chalet (Adam): Vallons de l'Helvetie 3-32619 9042u

Zonophone, Paris 1905

Mignon (Thomas): De son coeur (Berceuse) X-82521

Zonophone, Paris 1906

Patrie (Paladilhe): Pauvre martyr obscur X-82666 6160o

Jongleur de Notre (Massenet): Dame Fleurissait une rose X-82667 6161o

Jolie Fille de Perth (Bizet): Quand la flamme de l'amour X-82669 6164o

G&T, Paris 1908

Carmen (Bizet): Celle que vous aimez est ici with Beyle  34199 5828h 

Columbia, New York 1912-11-22

Lakmé (Delibes):  Lakmé, ton doux regard A5444 36494

Jolie Fille de Perth (Bizet): Quand la flamme  A5455 36495

Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Scintille diamant A5444 36496

Jongleur de Notre (Massenet): Dame: Legende A5455 36497

Columbia, New York 1914-02-24

Puritani (Bellini):  Suoni la tromba with Scott A5558 36880

Columbia, New York 1914-02-27

Thaïs (Massenet): Voilà donc la terrible cité A5558 36885

Columbia, Paris 1927?

Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy): Une forêt, pt 1 with Nespoulous L2233 LX187

Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy): Une forêt, pt 2 with Nespoulous L2233 LX188