Lucien Fugère (Baritone) (Paris, France 1848 - Paris, France 1935)

He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris under the pedagogues Raguneau and Édouard Batiste. He made first public appearance in 1871 at the Café-Concert Bata-clan in Paris. In 1874 he joined to the operetta theater Bouffes-Parisiens. In 1877 he was engagaed at the Opéra-Comique inParis, where he made his debut as Jean in ‘’Les noces de Jeannette’’ of V. Massé. He became the most popular artist of the Opéra-Comique.

Opera Premieres

Paris Opéra-Comique 20.12.1880 L'Amour Médecin F. Poise

Paris Opéra-Comique 18.5.1887 Le roi malgré lui  E. Chabrier (as Fritelli)

Paris Opéra-Comique 30.5.1890 La Basoche A. Messager (as Longueville)

Paris Opéra-Comique 24.5.1893 Phryné C. Saint-Saëns (as Dicéphile)

Paris Opéra-Comique 8.5.1894 Le portrait de Manon  J. Massenet

Paris Opéra-Comique 1.4.1895 La Vivandière B. Godard (as Ballafré)

Paris Opéra-Comique 26.11.1895 Xavière T. Dubois

Paris Opéra-Comique 1898 La Bohème G. Puccini (Schaunard)

Paris Opéra-Comique 24.5.1899 Cendrillon J. Massenet (as Pandolfe)

Paris Opéra-Comique 20.2.1901 La fille de Tabarin G. Pierné

Paris Opéra-Comique 20.11.1901 Grisélidis J. Massenet

Paris Opéra-Comique 8.11.1906 Le Bonhomme Jadis E. Jacques-Dalcroze

Nice Opéra 1906 Sanga I. de Lara

Paris Opéra-Comique 5.6.1907 Fortunio A. Messager

Paris Opéra-Comique 4.5.1910 Le Mariage de Télémaque C. Terrasse

Paris Opéra-Comique 2.2.1900  Louise G. Charpentier (as father)

One of his star roles was the Longueville in A. Messager’s ‘’La Basoche’’. Messager composed for the him also the part of the Maître André in his opera ‘’Fortunio’’. In the 1910-1919 seasons he was engaged at the Théâtre Gaîté-Lyrique in Paris; there he sang on 29. 12. 1910 the title part in J. Massenet’s ‘’Don Quichotte’’. Massenet dedicated the score of the opera to him, however, he could not take part in the premiere at Monte Carlo. In 1913 he sang in this opera house in the premiere of the opera ‘’Carmosine’’ of Henri Février. Since 1919 he worked again at the Opéra-Comique and in 1927 appeared as Don Bartolo in G. Rossini’s ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’. In 1897 he made guest appearance at Covent Garden in London as Leporello in ‘’Don Giovanni’’ (his only guest performance abroad!). In the 1906-1910 seasons he sang in Nice and Marseille. During the First World War he gave many concerts before French soldiers. Still in 1932 he appeared at the Opéra-Comique. In 1928 he was appointed the knight of the honorary legion.

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Zonophone, Paris 1902-12
Joconde (Nicolò): Dans un délire extrême (Romance) (one verse) X-2015

Columbia, Paris 1928-04-14
La Basoche (Messager): Elle m'aime D13045 WL1022

Columbia, Paris 1928-12-01
L'Ombre (Flotow): Quand je monte Cocotte D13083 WL1315

Columbia, Paris 1929-03-08
Le Médecin malgré lui (Gounod): Qu'ils sont doux D15178 WLX901

Columbia, Paris 1929-03-15
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Je suis le joyeux oiseleur (Der Vogelfänger) D13092 WL1480

Columbia, Paris 1930-03-07
Le Maître de Chapelle (Paër) Ah! quel plaisir LFX32 WLX1297