Eleazar
Eleazar
http://www.401dutchdivas.nl/nl/belgische-zangers/448-louis-morrisson.html
Louis Morrisson (pseudonym fir Ludovicus
Moyson) was born at Antwerp, Belgium, on May 11th, 1888, in a middle-class
family, which gave him the opportunity to study in the French language at the Malonne College (Belgian Ardennes). Predisposed
to music and aspiring to a career in it, he became a pupil of the well-known
composer Edgard Tinef at the Lemmens Institute, Malines,
from 1901 to 1907, learning fugue, counterpoint and composition, as he wished
to become an organist. It was his professor, Tinel, who discovered his
beautiful tenor voice, which was completely formed at the age of thirteen and
at (his time he regularly sang at the Christmas services in the cathedrals of Malines and Anversa. At this age too he had the honor of
singing before their Royal Highnesses Prince Albert and Princess Elisabeth, who
were both impressed with the magnificent tone of his voice. Completing his
musical studies in 1907 he was due to leave for London, where he had a contract as organist
at Westminster Abbey, when family circumstances obliged him to retract. Encouraged
by his friends Morrisson finally decided to follow up the possibility of a
vocal career and sang in some concerts in Anversa and in Amsterdam where he aroused the interest of
the art-director of the Rembrand Theatre. At this time the Rembrand Theatre was
a house devoted entirely to opera, directed by an old Belgian tenor, Mr.
Desirée Pauwels, who engaged Morrisson and his debut as an operatic tenor took
place during the 1909-10 season on October 1st. The role was Manrico in Verdi’s
"Il Trovatore" and he sang it on eight successive nights, with
co-artists Cato Engelen-Sewing, s., Irma Lozin, mezzo, Carl Butter, br. and
Joseph Orelio, br.. During his years at this theatre Morrisson sang a varied
repertoire: apart from Trovatore; La Bohème, Les Huguenots, La Juive, Faust,
Lucia di Lammermoor, Guglielmo Tell, Werther, Mignon, Tosca, La Favorita,
Rigoletto, Aida, Madame Butterfly, Le Postillon de Lonjumeau, Herodiade,
Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, two works he customarily sang on the same
evening throughout his career. He also sang in "La Traviata" and
"Carmen" with the internationally famous Sigrid Arnoldson. During his
Netherlands Opera engagement Morrisson sang (in 1913 and 1914) several
performances at the Anversa Royal Opera, where a very enthusiastic public
cheered him in Martha, Der Freischütz, Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Quinten Massys,
Eugen Onegin, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, etc., and where he created in
the Dutch language "Alpenlied'', "Le Jongleur de Notre Dame" and
"I Gioielli della Madonna". During the same season of the
performances of this beautiful work of Wolf Ferrari at the Royal Flemish Opera,
Leon Campagnola was singing the same role at the Anversa Royal French Opera. In
consequence opera lovers went from one theatre to the other, making
comparisons, and despite the great and undoubted merit of M. Campagnola, at the
time at the peak of his glorious career, both the critics of the time and the
public were even more favourable to "this young tenor with his prodigal
voice" as several wrote at the time. The two tenors went to see and hear
each other. Fortunately they were introduced and eventually became good
friends. This friendship between two exceptional artists grew during the
1914-18 war and remained as long as they lived. One day, after a performance of
I Gioielli della Madonna at which Campagnola was present to hear and cheer his
young rival, Campagnola said, in an admiring and convinced voice, "My
friend, if I had your voice and my experience, which is so much greater than
yours can be by now, at this time my fame would be as great as Caruso’s and,
believe me, I'm convinced of what I'm telling you". This was in January
1914, a few months before the great disaster which not only had such dramatic
consequences for the entire world, but seriously affected the career of our
young tenor who a few weeks later, through a Berlin impresario, signed a
five-year contract for the Chicago Opera, then managed by Dippel. This contract
bound Morrisson for the seasons 1914 to 1919 in the tenor roles of Il
Trovatore, Guglielmo Tell, La Juive, La Favorita, Cavalleria Rusticana and
Pagliacci, La Forza del Destino, Aida and Lucia di Lammermoor. Unfortunately
owing to the explosion of the Great War this contract had to be annulled. Morrisson
made his first recordings, commencing in 1910 in Berlin
for Favorite Records, then in London for Columbia in 1911 and in 1913 in Paris for Pathe. The six vertical cut records
he made there appeared first on 35cm. discs, then they were cut on 25cm. and
still later they were re-recorded on to 25cm needle-cut. From 1918 to 1920 some
recordings were made for the Polydor company (Reneyphone-Polyphon-Musola). In
1919 Morrisson returned to Anversa, then had a concert tour covering London, Manchester
and other British cities, following which he visited the singing-pedagogue, M.
Edmond Delit, another Belgian. At a much later press interview Morrisson
stated, "Monsieur Delil gives his singing lessons following the old
Italian methods of Emanuel Garcia, Pauline Viardot-Garcia and Blanche Marchesi.
He has now settled as a singing master in Paris and today - here inserting
shyly - thanks to the successes I have everywhere I'm singing in France today
he is the professor who is consulted by almost all the artists of L'Opera and
the Opera-Comique for instruction and for his wide knowledge of the science of
voice-placing". M. Delit was not only Morrisson’s teacher, but as
impresario managed all Morrisson’s contracts during his stay in France. In fact
he settled in Paris from July 1919 - at
Neuilly-sur-Seine - and made his opera debut for that country in the part of
Eleazar, La Juive, on January 16th, 1920, at Le Havre. There is an interesting press
interview report given the day following the performance. To a question from
one of the reporters Morrisson answered, "What you were told, dear sir, is
quite correct' The manager of your Lyric Theatre really was afraid about me.
because at the 'Italienne' (short piano accompanied rehearsal) yesterday afternoon
I sang in half voice and by-passed the long passages. So when I had returned to
my hotel this gentleman said - about me - 'But good heavens, our first falcon
s. will certainly strike this gentleman, who doesn’t even dare to let us hear
his voice. Whatever will happen tonight! At the beginning of the performance
last night - on hearing the br. like notes of my first act entree as Eleazar
'et pourquoi pas, et pourquoi pas?' he cried. 'Do you hear, they have sent me a
br., it’s the biggest disaster of my life!' But I can assure you, after my
encore of 'O, ma fille cherie' he came to me and kissed me, tears of joy and
emotion in his eyes and told me what his first thoughts had been. I am not at
all angry about this for he is not the first who made this error, misled by the
baritonal 'grave' of my voice, but this way I can always say a lot for the
performance, which generally comes as a great ‘surprise' . . ." And a
current critic wrote, "We have often heard 'La Juive' but never felt the
same emotions as we did last night, when we heard and saw the new tenor Louis
Morrisson in the role of Eleazar. Have our senses played us false? We don’t
think so and have the firm conviction that Mr. Morrisson is a genuinely
superior artist. How many famous tenors have we cheered in this role? Yet
nevertheless, when we compare - and this is what we do instinctively - all
those great artists did not reach the same peak of perfection. Mr. Morrisson
possesses the required organ and musical science, and even when other singers
have the same qualities, Morrisson has something the others usually lack, a
real acting ability: a real scenic science. This science he translates through
his voice, his mimicry, his gait and costume. His voice is really of a
marvellous purity, very homogeneous with a splendid and easy attack. He
portrays the role in an original manner and the character of his Shylock-like
Jew is a remarkable one, growing from the first note to the end. Starting from
his 'O ma fille cherie' the audience was in a really delirious mood and one
'Encore' after another sounded. The Passover scene of the second Act was of
dramatic sobriety. Concerning the fourth Act we can only say that it brought
the warmest 'bravo’s', so that our tenor was absolutely obliged to sing a
second time the famous, and so difficult, 'Dieu m'eclaire, fille chore'... "M. Morrison sang "La Juive"
more than 1,200 times during his career, with the famous falcon Mme. Mathilde
Comes and the basses Paul Aumonier, Paul Payan, Albert Huberty, Henri
Bloemgarten and M. Raybaud. In this role he was acclaimed at the Gaite Lyrique
where he conquered all Paris
on November 21st, 1921. The Press wrote the following morning: "The Gaite
Lyrique has discovered a new tenor, Monsieur Louis Morrisson. This is an heroic
tenor: he sings 'La Juive'. After the fourth Act he brought the whole audience
to its feet! It was the enthusiasm of a great night'. The curtain was raised
again and again and we had the honour to hear an encore. So M. Morrisson began
again and could have sung for a third time his famous 'grand-air', as he did
not give the least impression of tiredness or effort. He really is made for
singing in large houses, because he has an astonishing, easy emission and his
tones, every tone, really fill the house. He certainly will be acclaimed in the
Opera Comique, but his real scene of action should be L'Opera. Let us hope (he
managers of our lyric theatres will go to hear M. Morrisson, for we do not
possess many heroic tenors and this one ranks amongst the greatest." The
remainder of the cast that night were Mme. Madesky (Rachel), the bass Emil
Roque (Brogni), Vina Bovy (Eudoxie) and M. Burdino (Leopold). On December 21st,
same year, the following criticism appeared in a Paris newspaper: "Last night there was a
performance at L'Opera of 'I Pagliacci' with a new Belgian tenor in the title
role, M. Morrisson. Here he was as good as Canio as he was last month at the
Gaite Lyrique a good Eleazar. In this role he again displays his fine vocal and
scenic gifts, portraying in a perfect manner the painful and fatal jealousy,
bringing maximum effects to the pathetic situations. His vocal power and ease
over the whole register from the highest to the lowest tones made of the grand
air a 'lamento' of breathtaking dimensions; further M. Morrisson makes of the
other famous and difficult pages really unique compositions, convincing by the
life-like outbursts of passion. M. Morrisson gave an encore and won a very warm
and intense ovation and the warmth of this increased in strength at the end of
the opera." A few months later Morrisson made his debut at the Opera
Comique on May 15th, 1922, in "Cavalleria Rusticana" and this was
another triumphant success for him. He carried the title of thisinstitution for
the remainder of his life. The following day’s report ran: "The main
interest of the audience was especially excited by the appearance on stage of
the new tenor, Morrisson, making his debut on our big lyrical stage. His mighty
voice, incredibly easy in the highest notes, his acting intelligence as well as
a young and warm conviction have given us a splendid and vibrant interpretation
of Turiddu. The fullness of his notes throughout his entire register, as well
as their long duration made us think immediately at the ‘souvenir' of our most
outstanding tenors. Considering the fact that he is not a Frenchman there is
not a trace of foreign accent when he sings, articulating very intelligibly. Every
word is understandable for the public, which brought him, of course, an
enthusiastic ovation, almost without comparison, at the end of the night,
making him repeat the 'Vive le vin qui petille' given in a really splendid
manner, the high notes pealing above the chorus with an astonishing ease. After
this night we are convinced that M. Morrisson has conquered all the real
Parisian connoisseurs and we hope to see him often on the stage of our National
Academy of Music." During this period Morrisson appeared on all the great
stages of France.
Look what the critics wrote at Toulouse,
to every great singer a most redoubtable town, after a performance of "II
Trovatore"."M. Morrisson, the tenor who was so appreciated by our
citizens some time ago in 'La Juive', 'Guillaume Tell' and 'Les Huguenots' had
naturally an enthusiastic welcome in the part of Manrico. We will not say again
that M. Morrison has found a role that suits him, no, it was much better than
that. By singing this part his stature has increased, if possible, because his
Manrico, with its high notes, trumpeted with ease, sureness and unbelievable
suppleness has filled the lovers of Grand Opera with Joy. His easy, mighty,
full warm and well-limbered voice has astonished everybody once again. Firstly
in his ‘serenade' in the first Act, then in the second Act duet with Azucena. He
was obliged to sing the 'mal reggendo' and the famous 'Ah! che la morte ignore'
of the Miserere scene twice; and concerning 'Di! quella pira' this grew into a
delirious success with no less than three encores. An unforgettable night for
lovers of grand opera and heroic tenors." We find M. Morrison back, in
"Guglielmo Tell" of Rossini at Marseilles
on January 30th, 1921, when the press wrote the following about him: "He
arrived here in Marseilles yesterday afternoon
from Le Havre. In
that town he had sung 'La Juive' the night before and last night he had to sing
the part of Arnold.
It was a real revelation, with each Act his success grew and it is true that
yesterday’s performance of this Rossini work was one that our stage had never
seen previously. M. Morrison is not the traditional heroic tenor, he is a real
'mixed tenor' who must be marvellous in 'Gli Unonotti' or 'Faust' in which we
should love to hear him. He triumphed in the 'fort' and all the top notes. The
power of his voice unleashed stormy ovations, and in the indicated places this
brilliant tenor presented some sublime mezzo-voce phrases, with which this
brilliant tenor fills his hearers with ecstasy. Right from the first Act, after
the 'Mathilde io t'amo d'amore' sung with love and emphasis, loud ovations
resounded. The same was true for the duet with Mathilde, Mlle. Marguerite
Charpentier, and the famous trio, Arnold, William, Walter, with Mss. Weber and
Aumonier, caused a long continued ovation. The crown to this work was without
doubt the encore given by M. Morrisson to the famous Act 4 air 'O muto asil',
and the stretta 'Corriam, corriamo' brought a minute’s long ovation. At no time
did the histrionic Morrisson give way to the singer. Natural acting, expressive
mimicry, the artist portrayed as well as is possible all the emotions of the
character. M. Morrisson is incontestably one of the most remarkable artists we
have seen here at Marseilles."
And a newspaper extract from Bordeaux, January 20th, 1922: "The superior
talents of M. Morrisson, a singer we have heard up to now in his successes as
heroic tenor - La Juive, Les Huguenots, Guglielmo Tell etc.- gave us during
yesterday’s performance of 'Rigoletto' real life to the personage of the Duke
of Mantua. The strength, purity and durability of his beautiful voice added to
the beauty of the famous pages of this work. Especially the love-duet and the
'La donna e mobile' which he had to repeat of course. The interpreter of
Rigoletto was Jean Note and Gilda was sung by Mlle. Duffan." "M.
Morrisson in Les Huguenots" is the heading to an article from an Avignon paper in 1922. "The
Raoul of M. Morrisson alone justifies mounting the opera. With a tenor of such
capacities and well-established fame, success was assured in advance. Not only
was it a success, but a genuine triumph. To begin with. the 'Plus blanche que
la blanche hermine' was sung in such a way, so homogeneous a voice, such superb
high tones, that M. Morrisson had to repeat it. The 'o mon épée of the third
Act was a triumph, but the climax we had all been waiting for was certainly in
the fourth Act, the 'Ou vas-tu? - Laisse-moi' and the 'Oui, tu l'as dit'' which
brought the most frenetic response from the public. The 'demi-teintes' were
magnificent and the high tones, brilliant and of exactitude and purity; the
stage acting was sober, measured and natural. Let us mark this night with a
little white cross, because it was a brilliant one. In one word-unforgettable.
M. Morrisson is certainly one of the most beautiful Raouls we have ever
heard." The immortal work of Massenet was also one which he much liked to
sing: I mean "Werther", of which I reproduce here an article, one
amongst many, from the town of Nimes
in 1924. "It really happens very seldom that we can hear a voice like this
of M. Morrisson, so strong, so homogeneous, as good in the low tones as in the
medium and the high. Nevertheless this heroic tenor with his trumpet like high
sounds makes this mighty voice supply lender in the marvellous melodical
fiorituri of Werther. Last night M. Morrisson sang it for us, it is the first
time we have heard him here in this part, in which he can vocally translate the
melancholic psychology, with a voice that gave itself in an astonishing manner
to the passages of tenderness and charm, but sounded like a trumpet in the
'Invocation a la nature' and the 'Couplets d'Ossian'. This really prodigal
tenor will never cease to bring us from one surprise to another, and at each of
his appearances, in each new part, he will keep us under his spell; for his
sober, fine acting, full of contained passion, enveloped by a veil of
melancholic sadness had kept us so during all this performance. The least we
can say is that it was an immense success and the cheers at the end of the
night were endless." So nobody will be astonished to learn that this
prodigal "mixed tenor" won brilliant success in "Faust",
this is what the Marseillians wrote in 1923: "Last night there was a full
house for the repeat of the ever-young masterwork of Gounod, with Mrs.
Morrisson and Huberty in the parts of the Doctor and Mefistofeles. "The
talented tenor Louis Morrisson, who we cheered last year in... sang this work for us; with his splendid,
gripping and powerful voice obtaining, of course, the lion’s share of the
night’s success. From the first scene the bravo’s sounded, and grew, if
possible, after the masterly interpreted duet. On hearing the famous cavatine
by this singer, one is moved to the soul and the 'encores' obliged the great
tenor to repeat this difficult aria. In the final trio 'Anges purs, anges
radieux' his brilliant and prodigal voice was marvelously beautiful; this voice
that by its smoothness, in the high as well as the low register is one of the
most beautiful we know and is fascinating to the most discerning of
listeners." And a commentary on "La Favorita" at Toulouse, May
1923: "Last night we had 'La Favorita' on the play bill, with M.
Morrisson, the famous tenor of the Opera Comique. This part, one of the most
difficult that exists requires a vocal sumptuousness that very few tenors have
at their disposal. The air of the first Act 'Un ange, une femme inconnue' sung
in a perfect mezza-voce, finished in such a brilliant manner, unleashed such
enthusiasm from the public that a repeat was an obligation, as well as the air
from the fourth act 'Ange si pur, que dans un songe' that was sung in a
marvellous manner. M. Morrisson is not distinguishing himself solely by his
voice with the prodigal timbre, but also by his acting, always adapted to the
situation and by his facial expression. Numerous recalls at the end of the evening
confirm our personal opinion: M. Morrisson is an exceptional heroic tenor, in
the full meaning of the word; a tenor, we hope, we will hear again very soon in
our town of Toulouse."
At Bordeaux the
same year we find in a newspaper article about "Carmen": "Too
many tenors confound Des Grieus, Werther and Don Jose. There is nevertheless a
vast difference between them and we could easily find all the depths of this
difference in the interpretation by M. Morrisson of this legendary personage,
the 'bandit-for love', this wild and sad human being. The conception of Mr.
Morrisson remains very close to reality. First he is the simple plebeian, full
of distrust for Carmen, the seductress, and it is only by the carnal desire
that overwhelms him completely that he will be vanquished and follow her. His
mimic art rends completely all the feelings that made him act so, consequently
it was a very convincing Don Juan we had the opportunity to cheer, rousing,
conquering his public in a really extraordinary manner. The voice of M.
Morrisson is of a purity, a warmth and an exactness in all the registers, in
the flower-song it unchained an unparalleled ovation and the following encore
ended on a real storm of applause. It was an immensely successful opera night
thanks to the participation of this magistral tenor M. Morrisson." Again
in a Toulouse newspaper dated December 1923 I find an eulogy of his Radames
interpretation: "After a few months absence we meet again on our bill -
and this with great pleasure - the name of Louis Morrisson of the Opera
Comique, the tenor who is so highly appreciated by our Toulouse public and who,
certainly, is one of the very few tenors holding the attention of the world of
the theatre. After the 'Celeste Aida' a tremendous ovation obliged him to
repeat this famous aria which he gave with his large and vibrant voice, this
voice of an incomparable suppleness and endurance that borders on the
impossible, and which he projects very easily, from the lowest to the very
brilliant, thrilling highest tones, with a style and exactness which compel
unlimited admiration and show possession of a most sure singing-method. It is
true that after having pampered us here in La Juive, Les Huguenots and
Guglielmo Tell we didn’t expect less in this part. But once again his success
was immense, a real triumph, and the recalls at the end of the night were
unique in the annals of our theatre."At San Sebastian, Spain, in August
1921, where some days earlier he had sung "Pagliacci" with Marcel
Journet in the part of Tonio and Mme. Rizzini as Nedda, a description of
"La Boheme" runs: "The performance of 'La Boheme', which was
given last night with the same interpreters as in 'Pagliacci' last Thursday was
one that will certainly linger long in memory. The tenor Louis Morrisson, of
Belgian origin, drew us the personage of Rodolfo in a manner that was
excellently true to life, with all the ardent passion as well as the necessary
tenderness of love, infinitely poignant and human. It is an impersonation in
flesh and bones, as was his Canio some days ago, in a different manner. After
his great aria of the first Act the ovations broke loose and he was obliged to
repeat. M. Morrisson possesses a very rare solid and caressing ‘timbre' at the
same time. His notes are produced with perfect purity. His register is one of
the widest we know and he moves within it with unusual ease. Yes, M. Morrisson
is really a beautiful tenor and a great artist, I should even say: 'A perfect
artist, a complete one' . . ." And so we can say that the great reputation
of M. Morrisson triumphed on all the great French lyrical stages, from Paris to
Marseilles and from Biarritz to Strasbourg, through Toulouse, Bordeaux,
Montpelier, Le Havre, Avignon, Grenoble, Monte-Carlo, Nancy and many other
towns. It is in France,
in the part of Eleazar of 'La Juive' that this singer obtained a world-wide
reputation in a record time. In Spain,
at Madrid, Barcelona
and San Sebastian
he roused public enthusiasm in La Juive, Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana, La
Boheme, Les Huguenots, Guglielmo Tell and many other roles. In north Italy, at Turin, Genoa, Aosta, Biella
and Asta during a gala cycle of French performances he went from one triumph to
another in La Juive, Les Huguenots, Faust, Hérodiade, Romeo et Juliette,
Carmen, Sigurd, Lakmé, Werther, Les Pêcheurs de Perles and Louise. In Switzerland, at Geneva
and Lausanne, to which he returned every season
during his stay in France,
he had, as everywhere else, a lasting success in his specialities-those
mentioned above for Italy
and Spain,
plus Rigoletto, Tosca, Werther, II Trovatore and La Favorita. In Belgium, at Anversa’s Opera Royal Francais, Liege, Verviers, Namur, Ghent, Mons, Charleroi,
he sang all his great operatic successes. A proverb has it "No man is a
saint in his own country", but Morrisson was the exception that proves the
rule. The least we can say is that he was carried on people’s shoulders in
triumph. In Germania our singer received ovations everywhere he appeared during
his concert-tours in Berlin, Dusseldorf,
Munich, Hamburg,
Frankfurt, Dresden and Leipzig. In England
he sang in London, Manchester,
Liverpool, Birmingham, Northampton,
Nottingham and Southampton. The Netherlands,
where he had made his debut and had stayed during the Great War, public
continued to acclaim him in La Juive, II Trovatore, Faust, Carmen, etc., etc.
but at the same time he created, in Dutch, a great number of operettas of
French and Viennese origin: Les Saltimbanques, Gri-Gri, Rip-Rip (which ran for
months). La Mascotte, Les 28 Jours de Clairette, Der Bettelstudent, Der
Rastel-binder, Die Geisha, Vendetta and many others. M. Morrisson had, and
still has, numerous enthusiastic admirers there, and faithful friends who
clamoured continuously for him, and so, even during his Paris
sojourn, he returned regularly to Amsterdam,
to have triumphs at each opera evening in La Juive, Les Huguenots, Pagliacci,
Cavalleria Rusticana, etc. In 1918, during the time he remained in Holland,
Morrisson signed a very advantageous "exclusive" contract for a
period of five years with the Homocord Company, but during the time of his
great triumphs in France, the recordings were made, less a couple, in both the
French and Dutch languages. In this way a double clientele could be satisfied.
During this five-year period several other recording companies asked for M.
Morrisson, but had to remain unsatisfied owing to the contract. However, at the
end of 1923 the Gramophone Company (H.M.V.) made a proposition, but not very
satisfied with the contract offered, with the assistance of a legal adviser, he
made propositions to this company that wanted him. The discussions were long
and difficult and lasted until January 12th, 1925, as evidenced by the
voluminous correspondence, and on that date a first five-year contract was
signed. M. Morrisson obtained what he desired, the contract fixing certain
advantageous conditions, especially that which obliged the company: 1. (a) To
pay a high and fixed remuneration for each piece recorded, and (b) to pay 5 per
cent on the sale of each record, made by the company, for the duration of his
life. 2. Should M. Morrisson die during the five-year period of the contract
the company would continue to pay this percentage, under the same conditions,
to his heirs and successors, for a period of ten years commencing at the date
of decease. These conditions granted him have not been obtained by any other
artist, no matter how famous, in this period by the company. On January 12th,
1930, by mutual agreement, the contract was renewed on the same terms for a further
period of five years. An inexplicable and unfortunate sequel was that during
the period of the second contract, covering the period January 12th, 1930, to
January 11th, 1935, M. Morrisson died on January 30th, 1934, during the period
of its validity. The heirs found to their surprise that the company put an
embargo on his records the day after his decease, stopping every delivery and
sale. Why? remains a mystery that has not been explained up to this day. But to
find out what kind of person our artist was, in a newspaper we read: "The
short but very brilliant appearance of the loved tenor gives us the opportunity
to chatter for an hour with this great artist, who in spite of his splendid
triumphs and ever-increasing fame, remains one of the world’s most modest and
simple men. He has kept intact his independent and sincere character, a trait
of which he can be proud. This outspoken, frank character won him some solid
sympathetic friends, but also some bitter animosity, for the theatrical world
tends to prefer those who feign and flatter-hypocrites; and the struggle to
reach the top is certainly not less in the case of a world-famous tenor." In
his correspondence we find everywhere indications of a man who was very
sensitive to the misfortunes of others, full of goodwill to everyone he met. Those
with whom he was personally acquainted certify that he had a golden heart,
always ready to assist his fellow men. He was easily excited, but rapidly
gained control of himself. He was a very kind, frank and loyal character. Even
at the peak of his career he remained simple with no trace of condescension to
his less gifted colleagues, or others. And his pastimes? When he had any free
days in Paris
his favourite diversion was to make a tour of the antique dealers there, to
visit the sale-rooms, as his great passion was the collection of period
furniture and paintings by the early masters. He possessed a large collection
of pictures in his Paris
residence, as well as in his villa - called "Il Trovatore" in memory
of his opera debut - and where he spent his annual vacation. Musical
composition too was one of his preferred pastimes, he left some very nice
pieces, very attractive by their musical intensity or most appropriate text; he
wrote under the nom-de-plume "Somoye", see the following records; La
Marche a Venus (No, 3) Favorite Records, for this he wrote both lyrics and
music. Heil! Heil' Mannen van den Yser (No. 146) Homocord Records andMadeliefke
'n bloemke (No. 171) H.M.V. Records for which he wrote the lyrics, but the
music in co-operation with Van den Eynde.
Chronology
of some appearances
Il Trovatore-Amsterdam, Rembrandt, 1 October
1909 - Martha-Amsterdam, Rembrandt - Cavalleria Rusticana-Amsterdam, Rembrandt
- Pagliacci-Amsterdam, Rembrandt - Quinten Maasijs-Amsterdam, Rembrandt -
Eugene Onegin-Amsterdam, Rembrandt - Le Jongleur de Notre Dame-Amsterdam,
Rembrandt - I Gioielli della Madonna-Amsterdam, Rembrandt - Liefdelied-Anversa,
Flemish Opera, 1911/3 - Les Contes d'Hoffmann-Anversa, Flemish Opera, 1911/3 -
Der Kuhreigen-Anversa, Flemish Opera, 1911/3 - Shylock-Anversa, Flemish Opera, 1911/3
- Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Paisiello)-Anversa, Flemish Opera, 1911/3 - La
Juive-Paris, Gaîté Lyrique, 1921 - Les Huguenots-Verviers, Royal, 13 April 1925
- Tosca-Verviers, Royal, 9 May 1925 - Werther-Verviers, Royal, 16 May 1925 -
Das Land des Lächelns-Anversa, Royal, July 1932 - Graaf Chabert - Guillaume
Tell t. olandese.
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
Columbia (1910-1914)
De Troubadour : (Il Trovatore) O
dood der schande' (Di quella pira) 36275 D-6312
La Traviata: Een dronk! (Libiam nei
lieti) 36277 D-6312
La
Favorite: Engel zo rein! (Spirto gentil) 75596 D-17067
Faust:
Gegroet verblijf! (Salut demeure) 75595 D-17047
Faust:
Sta me toe eenmaal (Laissé-moi) 75593 &-17047
De
Troubadour: (Il Trovatore) 'T ogenblik is thans (Perigliarti ancor) 75592
D-17045
De
Troubadour: (Il Trovatore) O! Laat geen bange vrees (O si ben mio) 75591 D-17045
Homocord (1919-1924)
Herodiade: Heer, de drang van! (Ne pouvant reprimer) 51581
Cavalleria: Moeder, de wijn! (Mamma quel vino)
5260
De Troubadour: (Il Trovatore) O laat geen bange
vrees (O si ben mio) 5258
Carmen: De bloem die gij! (La fleur que tu)
5250
Martha:Ach zo lief! (Ach so fromm) 5252
Mignon: Vaarwel Mignon! (Adieu Mignon) 51054
Cavalleria: Zoete wijn bedwelmt (Viva el vino)
51055
La Gioconda: Hemel en zee) (Cielo è mar) 51051
La Tosca: Een zoete harmonie (Recondita
armonia)51052
La Boheme: Uw handen zijn bevroren (Che gelida
manina) 51053
La Traviata: Een dronk ! (Libiam nei lieti)
51041
La Tosca: De sterren straalden (E lucevan le
stelle) 50620
Mignon : Neen, zij geloofde niet (Elle ne
croyait) 50621
Cavalleria: O Lola schone bloem- (Siciliana)
50623
Paljas: (Pagliacci) Thans te spelen. (Vesti la
giubba) 50622
De Hugenoten: (Les Huguenots) Rein ald de
sneeuw (Plus blanche) 50625
W1llem Tell: (Guglielmo Tell) Verblijf voor
mij! (O muto asil) 50624
De Jodin: (La Juive) God dat mijn loflied (Dieu
que ma voix) 50626
Fanciulla del West: Ch'ella mi creda libero (in
Italian) 50527
Faust: Gegroet verblijf door haar. (Salut
demeure chaste) 50628
Aida: O, waar ik veldheer (Se quel guerrier)
50629
La Traviata: O laat ons vluchten (Dei miei
bollenti) with Bouwmeester 51040
Cavalleria: Neen! Neen, Turiddo. (No, no,
Turiddo) with Santhagens 51039
Faust: Verloren, verloren! (Alerte! Alerte!) with
Van Bosch and Bouwmeester) 51031
Rigoletto: Ja, aan U behoord mijn leven. (Belle
figlia) with Santhagens-Van Bosch and Bouwmeester 51032
Butterfly: Wel, nu sprak hij de waarheid. (Ed e
bella sposa) with Van Bosch 51028
De Macht Van Het Noodlot: (Forza del Destino)
In deze heil'ge stonde (Solenne in quest'ora) with Van Bosch 51027
Faure. Le Crucifix! (in Dutch) with Van Bosch
50652
Goublier. Angelus der zee (L'Angelus de la mer)
with Van Bosch 50651
CArmen. Ik ben Escamillo (Je suis Escamillo)
with Van Bosch 50653
De Parelvissers: (Les pecheurs de Perles) Daar
ver in d'heilige Tempel (Au fond du Temple
Saint) with Van Bosch 2-50650
Lucia van Lammermoor: (Lucia di Lammermoor) Edgard,
ja ik! (O piu rapido) with Van Bosch 2-50654
De Stomme van Portici: (La Muette de Portici)
Veel liever sterven (Plutôt mourir) with Van Bosch 50649
Lakme (Delibes): Fantaisie aux divins mensonges 51050
