Gaston Micheletti (Tenor) (Tavaco, Corsica 1892 – Ajaccio, Corsica 1959)

A Corsican tenor, Micheletti spent the major part of his career (from 1925 to 1946) as one of the stalwarts in Paris at the Opera-Comique, where he was justly acclaimed in a wide variety of roles, admirably represented by this careful remastering of his Odeon records. Since he has until now been best known as partner to Supervia in her Carmen recordings and as Des Grieux to Emma Luart's Manon (already reissued by Vintage, 4/97), this solo recital is most welcome. His pleasing, plangent lyric tenor, with a quick vibrato typical of its time in his part of the operatic firmament, is used with the utmost artistry in a wide range of French repertory, most notably perhaps as Faust, Romeo, Wilhelm Meister and Werther, all four of whose solos are included here. Micheletti's high notes were not produced easily, so it's not surprising, indeed rather gratifying, to hear him take the high C of Faust's cavatine as an exquisitely produced head note. In an age when Francophone singers, particularly tenors, are at a premium, it is a pleasure to hear all these pieces sung with such a feeling for the shape and timbre of the text, nowhere more so perhaps than in the duet from Hoffmann, where he is partnered by Luart — a gently romantic rendering, both artists singing lightly off the text in a way you won't hear in any modern set of the work. The same can be said of the 'Chanson du Magali' from Mireille, where he sings with another of his Comique partners, Marie-Therese Gauley (who sang the Child in the premiere of L'enfant et les sortikges). The recital ends with four songs, two Italian ones and — utterly haunting — two Corsican folk-songs with guitar accompaniment, collector's pieces, as the originals are rarities.

Chronology of appearance

1925-1946 Paris Opera-Comique

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Odeon 1927
Hérodiade (Massenet): Je ne regrette rien 171023 xxp6471
Werther (Massenet): O natura 188510 Ki11352
Romeo et Juliette (Gounod):  Ah! leve-toi, soleil 171019  xxp6463
Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens 171023 xxp6472

Mignon (Thomas): Elle ne croyait pas! 171019

Odeon 1927-02-18

Mignon (Thomas): Addio Mignon 188506

Odeon 1927-03-09

Mireille (Gounod): Anges du paradis 188510 Ki1133

Odeon 1928
Mireille (Gounod): O Magali with Gauley 171017 xxp6567

Odeon 1928-03-30

Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach):  C'est une chanson d'amour P1 with Emma Luart 188574

Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach):  C'est une chanson d'amour P2 with Emma Luart 188574
Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Hofmanns Erzahlungen C'est une chanson 188574 Ki1610/Ki1611  

Odeon 1928-04-19
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Non, paillasse n'est plus 188582 Ki1633

Odeon  1928-12-28

Romeo et Juliette (Massenet): O nuit divine with Eide Norena 123605

Romeo et Juliette (Massenet): Ah ne fuis pas with Eide Norena 123606

Odeon  1929-04-17

Manon (Massenet): Le reve 188655

Odeon  1929-04-19

Le Roi d’Ys (Lalo): Vainement, ma bien aimee 188654 Ki2375

Werther (Massenet): Lorsque l'enfant revient  188654 Ki 2376

Werther (Massenet):  Ah! non mi ridestar 188582

Werther (Massenet): J'aurais sur ma poitrine 188655

Odeon  1929-05-17

Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia 188657

Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 188657

Odeon  1929-05-24

Carmen (Bizet):  La fleur que tu m'avais jetee 123650 xxp69001

Faust (Gounod): Salut! demeure chaste et  pure 123650

Odeon  1930
L'Ajacciene 188712
Lamento (Tessarech) 188789 Ki3869
Air des muletiers  (Tessarech) 188790
Vocero (Tessarech) 188712 Ki3206
Hymne (Trad. Kors.) 188789 Ki3870

Odeon, Paris 1931-04
Carmen (Bizet): Duo final, pt 1, pt2 with Conchita Supervia 123774, 123774, XXP7263, XXP7264
Carmen (Bizet): Non, tu ne m'aimes pas with Conchita Supervia 123773 XXP7265
Carmen (Bizet): Attends un peu, Carmen with Conchita Supervia 123772 XXP7266

Odeon  1931-05-09

Carmen (Bizet): Ho nome Escamilio with Arthur Endreze  123776

Odeon  1931-05-12

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): No no with Germaine Cernay  123782

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Addio alla madre with Mady Arty  123782

Odeon 1932 
Lamento di u castagnu a un corsu (Lambroschini) 188872 Ki5536/Ki5537

Odeon 1933-05-17
Frasquita (Lehár): Ne t'aurai-je qu'une fois 1666659 Ki 6008
Majorquina (Brisville) 166658 Ki 6009
Un autre baiser (Rinaldi) 166658
Le chant du soleil (Bizion) 166945
Serenade Nocturne 166945

Odeon 1934-11-26

Martha (Flotow): M'appari  188813 Ki 6958

Maitre Pathelin (Bazin): Je pense a vous 188813

Odeon
Mireille (Gounod): O Magali with Marie Therese Gauley 171017

Manon (Massenet): Ah! Non credevi tu 171019

Melodies corses 281123

Lamento di u castagnu a un corsu 188789

Anthologie sonore

Mitrane (Rossi): Ah! rendimi quel core AS 131-1

Micheletti Gaston by Stampanoni