Robert Couzinou (Baritone) (Sarlat, Aquitaine, France 1888 – Sarlat, Aquitaine, France 1944)

He made his debut in 1912 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. In 1913 he became a member of the Grand Opéra in Paris, where he had a long career (beginning role: Geywhir in ''Fervaal'' by d'Indy). In 1918 he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Here, as a beginning role, he sang on 11. 11. 1918, the part of high priest in ''Samson et Dalila'' of C. Saint-Saëns as a partner of Enrico Caruso and Louise Homer. Till 1920 he remained a member of this house, where he was highly appreciated as Athanaël in ''Thaïs'' of  J. Massenet, Escamillo in ''Carmen'' and Valentin in C. Gounod's ''Faust''. On 27. 12. 1919 he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in the premiere of Albert Wolff's ''L'yOiseau bleue''. During the 1920's he made guest appearances at the Covent Garden in London among other things in the première of P. Mascagni's ''Iris'' with Margaret Sheridan as a partner (1919). In the 1918-1919 season and in 1924 he appeared with great successful at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. Here on 10. 4. 1919 he sang in the premiere of the opera ''Nausicaa'' of Reynaldo Hahn. In 1922 and 1924 he guested in Cannes as Marco in ''Monna Vanna'' of Février. By the end of his career, he sang again at the Opéra-Comique. Later he worked as pedagogue in Paris.

Chronology of some appearances

1912 Paris Opéra-Comique

1913 Paris Grand Opéra

1918-1920 New York Metropolitan Opera

1918-1919 Opéra de Monte-Carlo

1919 London Covent Garden 

1922 Cannes Opera House

1924 Cannes Opera House

1924 Opéra de Monte-Carlo

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Polydor 1928/1932
Monsieur Beaucaire (Messager): la Rose rouge 521.944
La Marseillaise 521. 837
Chant du désert (Romberg): Je ne veux que son amour 521.603
Le chant du départ 521. 837
le Clairon (Paul Déroulède / Emile André) 521.836
Semailles 516519
Quand Madelon (Louis Bousquet / Camille Robert) 521.838
Lakmé (Delibes): Stances de Nilakhanta 566022
Griselidis (Massenet): Oiseau qui pars à tire d'aile 516.593
Le Jongleur de Notre Dame (Massenet): Légende de la Sauge 566013
Herodiade (Massenet): Salomé, laisse-moi t'aimer 566021
Patrie (Paladilhe):C’est ici le berceau de notre liberté  566013
Thais (Massenet): Voilà donc la terrible cité! Alexandrie! 566.021
Roméo et Juliette (Gounod): La Reine Mab 566023