Eugène Dufriche
Encyclopedia
Eugène Dufriche was a French baritone
, who had a career on the operatic stage from the 1870s in Paris through to the 1900s in New York.
, Dufriche sang Lothario from Mignon
at the prize concert in 1873.
Dufriche made his debut at the Paris Opéra-Comique
on 27 August 1874 as Loïc in Le pardon de Ploërmel
going on to sing in the 100th performance of the piece that September. On 3 March 1875 he sang Zuniga in the world premiere of Bizet’s Carmen
at the Opéra-Comique. In December 1875 he sang the judge in the centenary performances of Le calife de Bagdad
by Boieldieu and in 1876 he sang Girot in Le pré aux clercs
. In 1878 he undertook Roland in Les mousquetaires de la reine and Amgiad in La statue
.
In 1879 he appeared as Scindia in Le roi de Lahore in Genoa. That year he also appeared in the Opéra-Populaire season at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
, as Capulet in the Marquis d'Ivry's Amants de Vérone, Montauban in Gilles de Bretagne by Kowalski, and Sainte-Croix in Paul et Virginie. He left the Opéra-Comique in early 1882 to tour as a guest artist.
Dufriche appeared in Monte Carlo in 1883 as Valentin in Faust
and Lothario in Mignon
; Walsh comments that "like so many male singers of the period he appears to have been afflicted with the tremolo." His association with the Royal Opera House
, London, began in 1890, and continued until 1905, roles including Quasimodo in Esmeralda, Rabbi Davide in L'amico Fritz
, creating Bustamente in La Navarraise
, and Amonasro in Aida
. He also sang in St Petersburg, Buenos Aires and at the Teatro di San Carlo
Naples, as well as returning to the Paris Opera as Alphonse in La favorite
, Telramund in Lohengrin
and Amonasro in Aida. In March 1892 he sang the 2nd tableau of the first act of Parsifal
(in French) in a Paris Conservatoire concert conducted by Danbé
.
Between 1893 and 1908 Dufriche appeared regularly at the Metropolitan Opera
, New York, mainly in supporting roles. His wide repertoire there included roles in three Mozart operas, Donizetti and Rossini, the French repertory including returning to Carmen (as Dancaire), three Meyerbeer operas, four Verdi operas, five Wagner operas, Italian verismo and operetta.
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
, who had a career on the operatic stage from the 1870s in Paris through to the 1900s in New York.
Life and career
Having studied at the Conservatoire in ParisConservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, Dufriche sang Lothario from Mignon
Mignon
Mignon is an opéra comique in three acts by Ambroise Thomas. The original French libretto was by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. The Italian version was translated by Giuseppe Zaffira. The opera is mentioned in James Joyce's The Dead,...
at the prize concert in 1873.
Dufriche made his debut at the Paris Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
on 27 August 1874 as Loïc in Le pardon de Ploërmel
Dinorah
Dinorah, originally Le pardon de Ploërmel , is an 1859 French opéra comique in three acts with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer and a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré...
going on to sing in the 100th performance of the piece that September. On 3 March 1875 he sang Zuniga in the world premiere of Bizet’s Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
at the Opéra-Comique. In December 1875 he sang the judge in the centenary performances of Le calife de Bagdad
Le calife de Bagdad
Le calife de Bagdad is an opera comique in one act by the French composer François-Adrien Boieldieu with a libretto by Claude de Saint-Just . It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique, Paris on 16 September 1800 and soon became highly popular throughout Europe. It was Boieldieu's first major...
by Boieldieu and in 1876 he sang Girot in Le pré aux clercs
Le Pré aux clercs
Le pré aux clercs is an opéra comique in three acts by Ferdinand Hérold with a libretto by François-Antoine-Eugène de Planard based on Prosper Mérimée's Chronique du temps de Charles IX of 1829.-Performance history:...
. In 1878 he undertook Roland in Les mousquetaires de la reine and Amgiad in La statue
La statue
La statue is an opera in three acts and five tableaux by Ernest Reyer to the libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier based on tales from One Thousand and One Nights and La statue merveilleuse, an 1810 carnival play by Alain-René Lesage and Jacques-Philippe d'Orneval.Although in its story opera...
.
In 1879 he appeared as Scindia in Le roi de Lahore in Genoa. That year he also appeared in the Opéra-Populaire season at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
Théâtre de la Gaîté (rue Papin)
In 1862 during Haussmann's modernization of Paris the Théâtre de la Gaîté of the boulevard du Temple was relocated to the rue Papin across from the Square des Arts et Métiers....
, as Capulet in the Marquis d'Ivry's Amants de Vérone, Montauban in Gilles de Bretagne by Kowalski, and Sainte-Croix in Paul et Virginie. He left the Opéra-Comique in early 1882 to tour as a guest artist.
Dufriche appeared in Monte Carlo in 1883 as Valentin in Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
and Lothario in Mignon
Mignon
Mignon is an opéra comique in three acts by Ambroise Thomas. The original French libretto was by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. The Italian version was translated by Giuseppe Zaffira. The opera is mentioned in James Joyce's The Dead,...
; Walsh comments that "like so many male singers of the period he appears to have been afflicted with the tremolo." His association with the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, London, began in 1890, and continued until 1905, roles including Quasimodo in Esmeralda, Rabbi Davide in L'amico Fritz
L'amico Fritz
L'amico Fritz is an opera in three acts by Pietro Mascagni, premiered in 1891 from a libretto by P. Suardon , based on the French novel L'ami Fritz by Émile Erckmann and Pierre-Alexandre Chatrian.While the opera enjoyed some success in its day and is probably Mascagni's most famous work after...
, creating Bustamente in La Navarraise
La Navarraise
La Navarraise is an opera in one act by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Jules Claretie and Henri Cain, based on Claretie's novel La Cigarette...
, and Amonasro in Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
. He also sang in St Petersburg, Buenos Aires and at the Teatro di San Carlo
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo is an opera house in Naples, Italy. It is the oldest continuously active such venue in Europe.Founded by the Bourbon Charles VII of Naples of the Spanish branch of the dynasty, the theatre was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 — the king's name day — with a performance...
Naples, as well as returning to the Paris Opera as Alphonse in La favorite
La favorite
La favorite is an opera in four acts by Gaetano Donizetti to a French-language libretto by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz, based on the play Le comte de Comminges by Baculard d'Arnaud...
, Telramund in Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
and Amonasro in Aida. In March 1892 he sang the 2nd tableau of the first act of Parsifal
Parsifal
Parsifal is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It is loosely based on Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, the 13th century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail, and on Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail.Wagner first conceived the work...
(in French) in a Paris Conservatoire concert conducted by Danbé
Jules Danbé
Jules Danbé was a French conductor, mainly of opera, born in Caen on 16 November 1840, and died 30 October 1905. Trained as a violinist, he was a pupil of Girard and Savard, in 1859 winning a first prize for violin...
.
Between 1893 and 1908 Dufriche appeared regularly at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, New York, mainly in supporting roles. His wide repertoire there included roles in three Mozart operas, Donizetti and Rossini, the French repertory including returning to Carmen (as Dancaire), three Meyerbeer operas, four Verdi operas, five Wagner operas, Italian verismo and operetta.