She was the mistress of the Belgian poet
Maurice Maeterlinck, who wrote the play Pelléas et Mélisande. Maeterlinck tried
to procure the world premiere role of Debussy's operatic Mélisande for LeBlanc,
but Mary Garden won the role, which she performed to great success. According
to Garden's autobiography, Debussy had LeBlanc sing an act of Pelléas before a
jury of musicians. The overwhelming results of that audition strengthened
Debussy's support for Garden. LeBlanc had a light voice of no special quality.
Fortunately, in 1903 LeBlanc recorded an excerpt of Massenet's Sapho, which is
preserved in the Historical Sound Recordings collection at Yale University.
Its historic value is not so much for LeBlanc's contribution, but for the fact
that it is a very rare recording of Massenet himself accompanying the singer.
Critic Edmond Stoullig caught her 1898 performance as Sapho at the
Opéra-Comique, calling it, "quite different from that of her predecessor
[Calvé, which] earned for her a personal success as actress, singer, and woman.
Chronology of some appearances
1893 Paris
Opéra-Comique
1894-1896 Brussels Théâtre de la Monnaie
1907 Paris Opéra-Comique
1912-1913
Boston Opera House
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
Columbia, 1912
Carmen (Bizet): Aria delle carte 19754 A1153
Amadis (Lully): Bois Epais 19763 A1243
Thais (Massenet): L'amour est une vertu rare 19755 A 1153Amadis (Lully): Bois Epais 19763 A1243
Beautiful photos ! Thank you for posting !
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