Marie Delna (Contralto) (Meudon, France 1875, 3/4 - Paris, France 1932, 24/6)

She created no less than nine roles for the Opéra-Comique where she was a favorite with the audiences. However, even with those credentials, she was overshadowed by an enormous pool of talent when she made her only appearances at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910. Delna's debut (1892) took place at the Opéra-Comique as Dido in ‘’Les Troyens’’. At the age of eighteen she became France's first Charlotte in ‘’Werther’’, and later, the Opéra-Comique's first Dame Quickly in ‘’Falstaff’’. Some of her other creations for that House include Marion in ‘’La Vivandiere’’ (1895), the title role in ‘’Orphée’’ (1896), Zerline in ‘’Don Juan’’ (1896), Fee Grignotte in ‘’Hänsel et Gretel’’ (1900), Marianne in ‘’L'Ouragan’’ (1901), and Vieille Tili in ‘’La Lépreuse’’ (1912). There, too, she created the role of Marcelline in the world premiere of Bruneau's ‘’L'attaque du moulin’’. She sang this role in the Covent Garden (1894) and Metropolitan Opera (1910) premieres of this work. She also made appearances at the Monte Carlo Opera, La Monnaie in Brussels, La Scala, and the Grand Theatre de Parme. Delna originally announced her retirement in 1902 when she married M.A.H. de Saone, but within a year she returned to the Opéra-Comique to reprise the role of Marcelline. Even with her tremendously successful career, Delna died in a poorhouse. She was buried by the State.

 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)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

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