François-Xavier Mercier (Tenor) (Québec, Canada 1867 - Québec, Canada 1932)

He sang in Quebec City from his early childhood, especially at the Church of the Congregation of Notre-Dame (now Jacques-Cartier). He performed as a soloist in the hall of the Académie commerciale and thus came to the notice of the school's director, who accepted him as a non-paying student at the institution and in 1891 found a position for him as bookkeeping teacher at the Collège Mont-St-Louis, Montreal. Mercier lived 1892-4 in Toronto, where he studied elocution with J. H. Cameron and solfège with Adèle Lemaître. In Boston he performed the role of the Duke inRigoletto at Castle Square but soon returned to Toronto to open a voice studio. y means of a subscription and the proceeds of some concerts given at Massey Hall, Mercier went to Paris and studied voice for five years with Jacques Bouhy and solfège and stage techniques with T. Valdejo. In January 1899 he was chosen from among 18 tenors to sing at the Opéra-Comique; he made his debut in Méhul's ''Joseph''. Le Gauloiscommented: 'Mercier's tone was superb. A powerful voice, perfect diction, expressive features; he is actor and singer rolled into one.' Later he sang in ''Carmen'', ''Mireille'', and ''Manon''. In 1901 Mercier performed in ''Faust'', ''Les Huguenots'', ''Carmen'', ''Roméo et Juliette'', and ''Le Roi d'Ys'' at Covent Garden, London, in casts which included Calvé, Journet, Melba, Plançon, Scotti, and Tamagno. He returned to Paris to learn the role of Arnold in ''William Tell'', which he later sang in Bordeaux and in Rouen, where according to Le Nouvelliste, he received seven curtain calls for his performance of the aria 'Asile héréditaire.' After singing in Faust, L'Africaine, Les Huguenots, Sigurd, and La Juive on tour in France, he visited Italy and Switzerland. He repeated his roles in ''Les Huguenots'' at The Hague and ''William Tell'' at Spa with Noté. In December 1906, while preparing for a season at the theatre in Lyons, he had to return to Quebec City because of his mother's death. In 1907 he sang in Toronto and inQuebec City, and that November he left once again for Paris. Mercier spent the 1908-19099 season in Constantine (Algeria), where he triumphed in ''Les Hugenots'', and then in ''Werther'', ''Carmen'', ''La Navarraise'', ''I Pagliacci'', ''Marie-Magdeleine'', ''Sigurd'', and ''Hérodiade''. In Algiersand Oran, he sang ''William Tell'' and ''La Juive''. His next undertaking was to participate in 22 opera and oratorio concerts at Queen's Hall, London, under Sir Henry Wood. After another tour of Franceand Algeria, he returned to Quebec City in August 1913 with his wife, the singer Isabelle de Besson (Mlle Jeynevald), whom he had met in Constantine and married in Lyons in 1909. In 1914 Mercier founded the Institut d'art vocal. He taught there until his death. In 1931 he was named honorary president of the newly founded Association des chanteurs de Québec. He wrote a series of articles, 'Classement et pose de la voix,' which appeared in La Musique in 1919, and in 1923 he published Souvenirs de ma carrière artistique, reprinted under the title 'Gerbe de souvenirs' in his study Technique de musique vocale (Quebec City 1928). He composed numerous songs, including 'Ce que je chante,' Opus 65, which was published in 1918, and 'France et Canada,' Opus 106, published in 1929. A number of his works are held at the ANQ in Quebec.

Chronology of some appearances

1899 Paris Opéra-Comique 

1901 London Covent Garden

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Colombia, New York 1915

Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer): L'entrée de Raoul E2376 45649

Chanson de l'adieu (Tosti)  E2377 45659

France  E2380 45652

La Huronne E2377

Marie Magdeleine (Massenet): Heureux ceux qui vivront E2375

Mireille (Gounod): La foi de son flambeau divin with Isa Jeynevald  E2375

Musette du XVIIe siècle E2378 45658

Ô Canada, mon pays, mes amours! E2378

Tosca (Puccini): Oh! de beautés égales

Zingarella  E2380 45656

Gaston Dehousse (Tenor)

He appeared at he Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège and at the Casino in Spa.

Chronology of some appearances

Liège Opéra Royal de Wallonie

Spa Casino

RECORDING FOR SALE

Reneyphone, 1925

Tosca (Puccini): O de beautés égales F42610 2094at

Heinrich Bötel (Tenor) (Hamburg 1854 - Hamburg 1938)

                                                                 Turiddu

His voice was discovered by Bernhard Pollini, the manager of the Opera House in Hamburg. He studied singing under Zumpe and Franz Krückl in Hamburg. In 1883 he made his debut at the Stadttheater in Hamburg as Manrico in ‘’Il Trovatore’’. He made guest appearances at the Hofoper in Wien (1884 and 1887), Openhaus in Frankfurt a. M. (1884-1893), Berlin Kroll Opera (1884-1892), Opernhaus in Leipzig (1886), Hoftheater in Schwerin (1887), Stadttheatern in  Bremen (1887) and Basel (1892), Theater des Westens in Berlin (1898), Deutschen Opernhaus in Rotterdam (1890), also in Cologne, Stuttgart, Wroclaw and Thalia Theater in New York (1887). His extensive repertoire included Arnoldo in ''Wilhelm Tell'', Enzo in ''La Gioconda'', Turiddu in ''Cavalleria Rusticana'', Canio in ''Pagliacci'', Masaniello in ''La Muette de Portici'', Raoul in ''Les Huguenots'', Lyonel in ''Martha''. The career of the singer lasted long; still in 1911 he  appeared at the Theater in Altona as Lyonel. His son Bernhard Bötel (1883-1953) also had a successful career as tenor.

Chronology of some appearances

1883 Hamburg Stadttheater

1884-1893 Frankfurt a. M.Openhaus

1884-1892 Berlin Kroll Opera

1886 Leipzig Opernhaus

1887 Schwerin Hoftheater

1887 Bremen Stadttheatern

1887 New York Thalia Theater

1890 Rotterdam Deutschen Opernhaus

1892 Bremen Stadttheatern

1898 Berlin Theater des Westens

RECORDING FOR SALE

Grammophon, Berlin, 1908
Der Troubadour (Verdi): Lodern zum Himmel she' ich die 4-42150 12524u

Max Lipmann (Tenor) (Stolzenau a. Weser 1881 - ?)

He made his debut in 1905 at the Stadttheater in Heilbronn as Max in ‘’Freischütz’’, then appeared as a concert and oratorio singer. He took up his stage career only in 1909 with an engagement at the Stadttheater in Aachen. Afterwards he gave guest performances and appeared among other things in 1912 at the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan as David in ‘’Die meistersinger von Nürnberg’’ and in the 1912-1913 season at Boston Opera in the USA. From 1913 to 1923 he was a member of the Court Theatre and National Theatre in Mannheim. In the 1923-1924 season he took part in the North America tour of a German opera troop. After 1924 he appeared again primarily in the concert hall. Nevertheless, till 1932 he still appeared in operatic stage of Mannheim. His repertoire included Belmonte in "Entführung aus dem Serail", Tamino in "Zauberflöte", Max in ‘’Freischütz’’, Pedro in ‘’Tiefland’’, Manrico in ‘’Il Trovatore’’, Turiddu in ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’, De Grieux in ‘’Manon Lescaut’’ and Rodolfo in ‘’La Bohème’’. As a Jew since 1933 he never appeared at the German opera houses.

Chronology of some appearances

1905 Heilbronn Stadttheater

1909 Aachen Stadttheater

1912 Milan Teatro Alla Scala

1912-1913 Boston Opera

1913-1923 Mannheim Court Theatre

RECORDING FOR SALE

Grammophon, Berlin 1913-08-26
Rigoletto (Verdi): O, wie so trügerisch 4-42549 12852r

Grammophon, Berlin 1914-02-04
Rigoletto (Verdi): Freundlich blick' ich auf diese und jene 4-42548 13534r

Grammophon, Berlin 1914-02-04
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend 042472 1334s

Vox, Berlin 1922
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): O Colombine 3120 555B
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Trinklied 3120 554B

Maurice d'Oisly (Tenor) (1882 - London, England 1949)

He studied piano and singing at London's Royal Academy of Music. In 1909 at Covent Garden he was singing Froh, David, De Cossé (''Gli Ugonotti''), and the Philistine Messenger. In 1910 Thomas Beecham offer him parts in ''Elektra'' and ''L'Enfant Prodigue''. A versatile performer, he was also performed in ''Tristan und Isolde'' and ''Ivanhoe'', singing operas in English, German, and French in fast order. In 1919 he married soprano Rosina Buckman, both of whom performed with Beecham's Opera Company.

Chronology of some appearances

1909-1910 London Covent Garden

RECORDING FOR SALE

Columbia, London 1915?

Rigoletto (Verdi): Fairest daughter of the graces with Buckman, Clegg & Austin L1025 6674

Bohème (Puccini): Lovely Maid in the moonlight with Buckman L1076 6927

Faust (Gounod): Prison scene with Buckman & Ranalow L1025 6683

Columbia, London 1916?

Traviata (Verdi): Far from the busy throng with Rosina Buckman L1400 6936

Amico Fritz (Mascagni): Cherry duet with Rosina Buckman L1400 6982

HMV, London 1924
Complete Madama Butterfly (Puccini): with Rosina Buckman as Cio-Cio-San

Georges Jouatte (Tenor) (Monaco 1892 - Paris 1969)

He was the son of a brewer. To finance his studies, he appeared on stage at the Casino de Paris as a dancer. He completed his singing training in Germany. After he had initially only appeared in the concert hall, Georges Jouatte made his stage debut in 1932 at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris. Retraining as a tenor by Paul Cabanel and Louis Fourestier. In 1934 he came to the Grand Opéra of Paris (inaugural role Charles Gounod's ''Faust''). He had great success at this theater in 1936 as an Italian singer in ''Der Rosenkavalier'' by R. Strauss at a performance in the presence of the composer. At the Grand Opéra he was estimated mainly for his Florestan in ''Fidelio'', Admete in ''Alceste'' by Gluck, Don Ottavio in ''Don Giovanni'', Erik in ''The Flying Dutchman'' (1937), Ulysses in ''Penelope'' by Gabriel Fauré and Armal in ''Gwendoline'' by E. Chabrier. Since 1937, Georges Jouatte was also a member of the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he introduced himself as Belmonte in ''Entführung aus dem Serail'' and then in Monteverdi's ''Incoronazione di Poppea''. This was followed by tours of the artist in Austria and Italy. At the Covent Garden Opera he was heard in 1937 as Admete in ''Alceste'' by Gluck; at the Salzburg Festival in 1933 and 1936 in concerts; at the Montreux Festival he sang the tenor solo in Verdi's Requiem conducted by Bruno Walter. In 1946, he sang Tamino in ''Die Zauberflote'' in his farewell performance at the Opéra-Comique. At an early stage Georges Jouatte also appeared as an actor in movies; in 1923 in the German film Land ohne Frauen (Country Without Women) starring Brigitte Helm, and Conrad Veidt. Most recently he worked as a teacher in Paris; the major soprano Régine Crespin was his pupil.

Chronology of some appearances

1932 Paris Théâtre Mogador 

1934 Paris Grand Opéra

1937 Paris Opéra-Comique

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Odeon, Paris 1930/1932

L'Attaque du moulin (Bruneau): Adieux à la forêt  123804
Le Barbier de Séville (Rossini): Des Rayons de l'Aurore 188874 Ki 5568
La Juive (Halevy): Rachel quand du seigneur 188874 Ki 5569

Pathe, Paris 1934/1935

Mandrin (Szulc): Les Yeux des femmes  PA 446 CPT1658

Gustav Rödin (Tenor) (Stockholm 1898 - Stockholm 1949)

He studied singing under Gillis Bratt in Stockholm, after he had appeared first as a ballet dancer. He made his debut in 1922 at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. Then he came to Germany and was engaged by the Städtischen Oper in Berlin. Later he was a member of the Staatsoper in Berlin. Here he sang among other things on 26. 11. 1938 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Peer Gynt’’ by W. Egk, on 28. 1. 1939 in "Die Bürger von Calais" by R.Wagner-Régenys. In 1928 he appeared at the Bayreuth Festival. Since that time he appeared there up to the last festival in the Second World War in 1944, mostly as comprimario. During the long years of his work in Germany he guested regularly in his Swedish native country as well as at the leading German opera houses. In 1945 he returned to Stockholm, where he continued successfully his career, also as a concert and oratorio singer.

Chronology of some appearances

1922-1925 Stockholm Royal Opera

1928 Bayreuth Festival

1938-1939 Berlin Staatsoper

RECORDING FOR SALE

Gramophone, Stockholm 1921-01-24

Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Låt henne tro (Ch'ella mi creda) V96 995Am

Gustav Walter (Tenor) ( Bilin/Bílina, Czech Republic 1834 - Vienna, Austria 1910)

He was a Bohemian operatic tenor who sang leading roles for more than 30 years at the Vienna Staatsoper in Austria. He was a highly regarded interpreter of the vocal music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the lighter tenor roles composed by Richard Wagner. Walther also created the role of Assad in the world premiere of Karl Goldmark's Die Königin von Saba and performed in some Italian and French operas. After retiring from the stage in 1887, Walter toured Europe as a lauded recitalist of lieder, premiering numerous songs by Johannes Brahms and Antonín Dvořák. He became a celebrated pedagogue, teaching voice at the Vienna Conservatory for more than two decades. As a young man, Walter studied violin at the Prague Conservatory. However, under pressure from his parents, he abandoned his musical pursuits and entered the Prague Polytechnic Institute to study engineering. After finishing his studies, he became the engineer for a sugar factory in his hometown of Bílina. He sang part-time in a male quartet in Prague while working as an engineer. His excellent natural voice was discovered by Franz Vogl who immediately offered to become his teacher. For many years, music historians believed he had studied with Johann Friedrich Samuel Johann but recent scholarship has confirmed that his studies were entirely with Vogl. In 1855, in Brno, Walter made his operatic début as a lyric tenor in the role of Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. The following year he moved to Austria due to the persuasion of soprano Rosa Czillag. He promptly joined the Vienna Staatsoper, singing there for the next thirty one years in primarily leading roles. His first role with the company was Gomez in Conradin Kreutzer's Das Nachtlager in Granada. Walter became a highly popular Mozart singer and notably performed the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni in 1869 for the opening of the new opera house inVienna. He also found success in several Wagner roles. He sang Walther von Stolzing in the somewhat ill-fated Viennese première of Wagner's Die Meistersinger (1870), the title role in Lohengrin, and the role of Loge in both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. In 1875 he origninated the role of Assad in the world premiere of Karl Goldmark's Die Königin von Saba opposite Amalie Materna as the Queen of Sheba. In 1882, he sang Alfonso in Vienna's first performance of Franz Schubert's Alfonso und Estrella. His other notable roles with the company included Manrico in Verdi's Il trovatore (1859), the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto (1860), Riccardo in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera (1866), and Vasco da Gama in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine (1866) among others. Walter also periodically performed in opera houses in Germany and Bohemia. He sang with the Munich Court Opera in 1868, with Oper Frankfurt in numerous operas between 1864–1882, the Wiesbaden Opera House in 1874-75, the opera house in Brno in 1875, and the National Theatre inPrague in 1885. Some of the roles he sang in these houses include Raoul de Nangis in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, George Brown in Boïeldieu's La dame blanche, Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio, and the title role in Gounod's Faust. Walter retired from the stage in 1887, with his last performance being as Wilhelm Meister in Ambroise Thomas's Mignon at the Vienna Staatsoper. He was appointed an honorary member of the Vienna Staatsoper upon his retirement. Walter then embarked on a famous series of lieder recitals throughout Europe, notably premiering several songs by Johannes Brahms and Antonín Dvořák. He had previously sang in the premiere of Brahms' Liebeslieder-Walzer and Dvořák dedicated his Cigánské melodie (Gypsy Songs, 1880) to him. His recital tour took him to London in 1872 and he appeared with the London Philharmonic in a concert of songs by Mozart, Carl Riedel, and Anton Rubinstein. In 1891, Walter performed at the Salzburg Festival for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death. He gave numerous concerts in Munich and Dresden between 1881-1888. One of his last recitals was in Graz in 1897. Although he stopped giving solo recitals in the late 1890s, he continued to perform with others well into the next century and the beauty of his voice remained with him into the latter years of his life. At the age of 71, in 1905, he made three recordings, including one of an aria from Mignon. Although past his prime, "the voice is well preserved and the style both expressive and elegant". Music historians value these discs highly because in addition to their artistic merits, they preserve authentic 19th-century performance practices and singing styles. In addition to performing, Walter spent much of his time teaching after his retirement from the operatic stage. He was a professor of voice at the Vienna Conservatory from 1882 until just a few years before he died in 1910, in Vienna. His children, Raoul Walter (1865–1917) and Minna Walter (1863–1901), were also successful opera singers.

Chronology of some appearances

1855 Brno Opera 

1856-1887 Vienna Staatsoper

RECORDING FOR SALE

Grammophon, Wien, 1904
Am Meer (Schubert) 042097 332i

Wiener Phonogrammarchiv, Wien 1906

Lohengrin (agner): Nun sei bedankt 238

Ifor Thomas (Tenor) (Pentraeth, Anglesey 1892 - New York 1956)

In 1895 he went to Pentraeth Board School and at the age of 13 became a carpenter with Huw Parry of Pentraeth. He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London in 1914. He met his wife, Ceridwen, and they moved to Milan, Italy; he sang in the opera houses of Milan, Nice andMonte Carlo. In 1928 he joined the Metropolitan Quartet in New York, USA, with Frances Alda. He worked with the Radio Atwater Kent Company and he sang in two Newark Music Festivals. He recorded several operas for HMV. When his musical career ended in 1933 he became a photographer for Collier's Magazine, his subjects over the next 15 years including Frank Sinatra, Ingrid Bergman, Tommy Dorsey and Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1940s he took up painting and exhibited in London, New York and a number of colleges in the United States, signing his work as Ifor o Fôn. A patriotic Welshman, he founded the Cymric Society of New York in 1945. Mildred Unfried was his second wife.

Chronology of some appearances

1925 Milano Teatro Alla Scala

1927 Paris Grand Opera

1928 Philadelphia Opera Company

RECORDING FOR SALE

Duophone, London 1925

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba GS 7003 DC 7425

Ion Băjenaru (Tenor) (Căciulați, Ontario 1863 - Bucharest 1921)

After graduating from the Bucharest Conservatory, where he was a pupil of Gh Stephănescu, he received immediate engagements by the various operetta companies where, due to his exceptional vocal qualities and artistic stage talent, enjoyed a great success. Then he went to Italy, to supplement the theoretical studies and vocal technique, obtained an engagement at La Scala inMilan. Sang at the San Carlo in Naples, but mostly at the State Opera in Vienna.

Chronology of some appearances

1886-1887 Bucharest National Theatre  

RECORDING FOR SALE

Gramophone 1903
Dormi in pace 12553