He studied singing with Désiré Demest and Ernest
van Dijk in Brussels and made his debut in 1913 in Dijon as Jean in ‘’Hérodiade’’
of J. Massenet.
Hérodiade-Dijon, Municipal, 1913 -
Carmen-Dijon, Municipal, 1913-4 - Cavalleria rusticana-Dijon, Municipal, 1913-4
- La Favorite-Dijon, Municipal, 1913-4 - Rigoletto-Dijon, Municipal, 1913-4 -
Faust-Dijon, 1913-4 - Louise-Dijon, 1913-4 - Les Barbares-Dijon, 1913-4 -
Paillasse-Brussels, Th. Des galeries, 1914-8 - Samson et Dalila-Brussels, Th.
Des galeries, 1914-8 - Messaline-Brussels, Th. Des galeries, 1914-8 -
Manon-Brussels, Th. Des galeries, 1914-8 - Werther-Brussels, Th. Des galeries,
1914-8 - Tosca-Brussels, Th. Des galeries, 1914-8 - La Muette de
Portici-Brussels, Monnaie, 1918 - Roméo et Juliette-Brussels, Monnaie, 1918-20
- Alceste-Brussels, Monnaie, 1918-20 - Aida-Brussels, Monnaie, 1918-20 - Les
contes d'Hoffmann-Monte Carlo, Garnier, 12 February 1921 - La damnation de
Faust-Monte Carlo, Garnier, 15 February 1921 - Orphée-Paris, Opéra-Comique, 11
October 1921 - Le cantique des cantiques-Monte Carlo, Garnier, 18 February 1922
- Lohengrin-Paris, Opéra, 1922 - Tannhäuser-Paris, Opéra, 1922 -
Grisélidis-Paris, Opéra, 29 November 1922 - Monna Vanna- Chicago, Auditorium,
1923 - L'amour des trois rois- Chicago, Auditorium, 1924-5 - Resurrection-
Chicago, Auditorium, 1925-6 - Sapho- Chicago, Auditorium, 1927-8 - La force du
destin-Brussels, Monnaie, 24 October 1931 - Judas Macchabée-Brussels, Palais
des Beaux-Arts, 1935.
I am a huge fan of Ansseau's singing...and as someone who has performed the 1774 Paris version of Gluck's Orphée, his unexpected recording of "J'ai perdu" is revelatory and glorious! I see here in the listed chronology that he sang an "Orphée" in 1921 at the Opéra-Comique. Could you please clarify which "Orphée" is being referred? I've been looking through the archives of the Opéra-Comique and there is no evidence of Gluck or Offenbach's Orphée being presented in that year. It was also to my knowledge that the first 20th Century revival of that version of the Gluck opera was not until 1952 with the live performances given by Nicolai Gedda at Aix-en-Provence and the Canadian TV production the same year with Léopold Simoneau. It would be wonderful to know if Ansseau did ever perform the Gluck in its entirety. I would be also interested to know if he chose to transpose some of the higher-lying tessituras. Thanks for any information!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI'm the depository of the career archives of Fernand Ansseau of which I'm also a devoted fan. He created the revised tenor version (re-adapted by composer and conductor Paul Vidal) which was premiered at the Opéra Comique (under the joint directorship of the Isola Brothers) on 11/10/1921. Vidal in the pit, with Yvonne Brothier as Amor. Regards. See below one of my photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135304665@N07/36839479551/in/photolist-2dzSJmY-Y8nXNx-Y8nULv-R9ML33-R9MKcA-Srv6Uc-2cuEFXd-28KTj5H-27o6HhL-Z18MCN-CTM15c-21sgq19-CTM1be-21sgpVE-YkLKoD-21sgq3d-W9Lsir-SE3KWa-S5cQYA-SfgEfe
Fernand Ansseau has created the revised tenor version by Paul Vidal at the Opéra Comique on 11/10/1921. Yvonne Brothier was singing Amor. This version was the original tenor version, reworked by Vidal especially for Ansseau. It was produced at the OC during the co-directorship of the Isola Brothers. I'm the depository of the tenor's music archive. Regards.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/135304665@N07/36839479551/in/photolist-2dzSJmY-Y8nXNx-Y8nULv-R9ML33-R9MKcA-Srv6Uc-2cuEFXd-28KTj5H-27o6HhL-Z18MCN-CTM15c-21sgq19-CTM1be-21sgpVE-YkLKoD-21sgq3d-W9Lsir-SE3KWa-S5cQYA-SfgEfe