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MARIA
DUCHÊNE-BILLIARD (FRANCE, 5 DECEMBER, 1883 – NEW YORK, 2 APRIL, 1947)
Duchêne was born in France and arrived in the United States in 1907 at
the age of 23, already calling herself an "artiste". In 1910, she
created the role of Adah in Naughty Marietta on Broadway.
She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 16 March 1912 as La
Cieca in Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda with Emmy Destinn in the title role,
Enrico Caruso as Enzo, and Arturo Toscanini conducting. She appeared in the American
premiere of Boris Godunov as the Nurse in 1912 with Toscanini conducting. On 12
March 1913 she was to sing the role of Giulietta in Les Contes d'Hoffmann when
she fainted; her role was taken over by madam Fremsted, who had sung the role
when it premiered in the United States.
With the company she notably portrayed the role of the Peasant Woman
in the United States premiere of Gustave Charpentier's Julien on 26 February
1914. Her mother, Elizabeth Duchêne (1859–1915) died in 1915 of pneumonia just
as Duchêne was about to take the stage as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana.
Her final and 166th performance with the Met was as Ulrica in Un ballo
in maschera in an out-of-town performance at the Boston Opera House on 18 April
1916.
On 7 October 1926, she married André Dumont (1896–1942), a French
harmonium maker at Les Andelys. On 11 August 1937, they divorced.
She died on 2 April 1947.
TRACKLIST
Ballo in maschera (Verdi) E scherzo od è follia with Enrico Caruso,
Frieda Hempel, Leon Rothier 89076 C14660-1 Victor, 1914-04-03
Carmen (Bizet) Nous avons en tête une affaire with Dumesnil, Gilibert,
Lejeune-Gilibert, Gaston Leroux Victor 88237 C-8746 3/25/1910
Pikova Dama (Tchaikovsky) Es dämmert (w. Destinn) 88520 C15772 Victor,
1915-03-09
Pikova Dama (Tchaikovsky) O viens (w. Destinn) 88529 C15905 Victor,
1915-04-23
Prophète (Meyerbeer) Ah! Mon fils Edison 80766 2682 1/6/1914
Trovatore (Verdi) Stride la vampa Edison 80766 2683 1/6/1914
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