Marcel Claudel (Tenor) (Courcelles, Belgium 1900 - Charleroi, Belgium 1981)

                                             Jean in ''Le jongleur de Notre Dame''

His real name was Marcel Buydens. He received his education in Charleroi under Edgard Druine and at the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles. In 1922 he was engaged by the Théâtre la Monnaie in Brussels, where he made his debut as Wilhelm Meister in ‘’Mignon’’ of A. Thomas. He remained till 1927 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, then sang at the Opéra de Lyon and from 1928 to 1937 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. There his repertoire included Rodolfo in G. Puccini’s ‘’La Bohème’’, Hans in B. Smetana’s ‘’Verkaufter Braut’’, Paolino in ‘’ Matrimonio segreto’’ of  D. Cimarosa and George Brown in ‘’La Dame Blanche’’. In 1931 he appeared at the Opéra-Comique in the premiere of Roger Ducass's opera ‘’Cantegril’’. Since 1937 he belonged again to the ensemble of the Théâtre la Monnaie, where he appeared till 1958. At the Opéra de Monte-Carlo he guested as Hoffmann in ‘’Hoffmanns Erzählungen’’, Pelléas in ‘’Pelléas et Mélisande’’ and as Dimitri in ‘’Boris Godunov’’ (with Fedor Schaljapin in the title role). He also performed as a guest in London (1928), Prague, Antwerp, Bordeaux, Marseille, Geneva and Oran. He gave a recitals in London and in North Africa. Since 1938 he also been active as a director. Later he was a manager of the theatre in Charleroi and professor of the Conservatoire Royal de Mons.

Chronology of some appearances

1923-1927 Brussels Théâtre la Monnaie

1928-1937 Paris Opéra-Comique

1928 London Covent Garden

1931 Paris Opéra-Comique Cantegril

1937-1958 Brussels Théâtre la Monnaie

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Polydor 1933-05-02

Frasquita (Lehár): Deux yeux tres jous  522675 bkp 6309

Polydor
Serenata (Toselli) 521.948 4278 BKP
Jocelyn (Godard): Berceuse 521.948 4279 BKP