FRENCH CONTRALTO MARIE DELNA (1875-1932) 2 CDR

 

MARIE DELNA (MEUDON, FRANCE, 1875, 3/4 – PARIS, FRANCE, 1932, 24/6)

 

Marie Delna, a celebrated French contralto, achieved great success at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where she created no fewer than nine roles and became a favorite among audiences. Her debut at the Opéra-Comique came in 1892, when she performed as Dido in Berlioz’s Les Troyens. At just eighteen years old, she became the first French soprano to perform the role of Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther. She also held the distinction of being the Opéra-Comique’s first Dame Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff.

Among her notable creations for the Opéra-Comique were:

Marion in La Vivandière (1895)

The title role in Orphée (1896)

Zerline in Don Juan (1896)

Fée Grignotte in Hänsel et Gretel (1900)

Marianne in L’Ouragan (1901)

Vieille Tili in La Lépreuse (1912)

Delna also created the role of Marcelline in the world premiere of Alfred Bruneau’s L’attaque du moulin, a role she reprised for the Covent Garden premiere in 1894 and the Metropolitan Opera premiere in 1910.

Beyond the Opéra-Comique, Delna made acclaimed appearances at major venues such as the Monte Carlo Opera, La Monnaie in Brussels, La Scala in Milan, and the Grand Théâtre de Parme. Despite her credentials, her brief 1910 appearances at the Metropolitan Opera were overshadowed by the intense competition of talent in New York at the time.

Delna announced her retirement in 1902 following her marriage to M.A.H. de Saône. However, she returned to the stage a year later to reprise her signature role as Marcelline at the Opéra-Comique.

Despite her illustrious career, Delna’s later years were marked by hardship. She tragically passed away in poverty and was buried by the State in recognition of her contributions to French opera.

Chronology of some appearances

1892 Paris Opéra-Comique Les Troyens (Dido)

1895 Paris Opéra-Comique La Vivandiere (Marion)

1896 Paris Opéra-Comique Orphée (Orphée)

1896 Paris Opéra-Comique Don Juan (Zerline)

1900 Paris Opéra-Comique Hänsel et Gretel (Fee Grignotte)

1901 Paris Opéra-Comique L’Ouragan (Marianne)

1912 Paris Opéra-Comique La Lépreuse (Vieille Tili)

TRACKLIST

Pathé cylinders & discs, London 1903/1904

Prophète (Meyerbeer): Ah, mon fils 50071 3500

Carmen (Bizet): Près des remparts 50072 3501

Vivandière (Godard): Viens avec nous, petit 3504

Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903/1904

Carmen (Bizet): L’amour est enfant de Bohème (Habanera) 3502

Les enfants (Massenet) 3503

Carmen (Bizet): Air des cartes 3514

Werther (Massenet): Air des larmes 3512

Troyens (Berlioz): Chers Tyriens (Air de Didon) 3513

Jocelyn (Godard): Berceuse 3515

Le vierge à la crèche (Clérice) 3516

Pathé, Paris 1905?

Prophète (Meyerbeer): Duo, act 5 with Albert Alvarez 0235

Favorite (Donizetti): Duo, act 4 with Albert Alvarez 0236

Pathé, Paris 1907?

O sole mio (di Capua) (It) 4870

Favorite (Donizetti): O mon Fernand 4875

Orphée et Euridice (Gluck): J’ai perdu mon Euridice 4878

Werther (Massenet): Air des lettres 4879

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): Mon coeur s’ouvre 4876

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): Printemps qui commence 4877

Vivandière (Godard): Hymne à la liberté 4873

Attaque du Moulin (Bruneau): Ah, la guerre  4872

Miarka (Georges): Hymne au soleil 4874

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Romance de Santuzza 4871

Edison 4-min cylinders, USA? 1910?

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): Mon coeur s’ouvre 40015 BA 28151

Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck): Che farò BA 28135

Favorita (Donizetti): O mio Fernando 40023

Prophète (Meyerbeer): Ah, mon fils 40022 BA 28126

Gioconda (Ponchielli): Voce di donna 40029

Edison, USA 1913?

Prophète (Meyerbeer): Ah, mon fils 83019 2762-A

Jocelyn (Godard): Berceuse 83036 2763-A

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): Mon coeur s’ouvre 83024 2766-B

Pathé, Paris 1918?

Carillon de guerre (Rohand) 3139

Espérance (Rohand) 3139