François le Roux
Encyclopedia
François le Roux is a French baritone
. Le Roux began vocal studies at 19 with François Loup, winning prizes in Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro. He was a member of the Lyon Opera Company from 1980 to 1985, before appearing in many international houses, making his Paris Opéra
debut in 1988 as Valentin in Gounod's Faust
. He is most renowned for his portrayal of Pelleas in Debussy's opera, first singing the role in 1985 and being hailed by critics as "the greatest Pelleas of his generation". Since 1998 he has also sung Golaud in the same opera to similar acclaim. It was as Golaud he sang in the centenary performance at the Opéra-Comique
, and also in the Russian national premiere.
As well as a vast operatic repertory, he has released many recitals of French song, which have earned him the distinction as Gérard Souzay
's natural successor. His book, Le chant intime, on the interpretation of French song, won the 2004 René Dumesnil Award by the French National Académie des Beaux Arts.
He has been awarded the grade of "Chevalier
" in the French National Order of Les Arts et Lettres in 1996, and chosen as "Musical Personality of the year 1997" by the French Critics Union.
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...
. Le Roux began vocal studies at 19 with François Loup, winning prizes in Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro. He was a member of the Lyon Opera Company from 1980 to 1985, before appearing in many international houses, making his Paris Opéra
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
debut in 1988 as Valentin in Gounod's 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...
. He is most renowned for his portrayal of Pelleas in Debussy's opera, first singing the role in 1985 and being hailed by critics as "the greatest Pelleas of his generation". Since 1998 he has also sung Golaud in the same opera to similar acclaim. It was as Golaud he sang in the centenary performance at the 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...
, and also in the Russian national premiere.
As well as a vast operatic repertory, he has released many recitals of French song, which have earned him the distinction as Gérard Souzay
Gérard Souzay
Gérard Souzay was a French baritone singer, regarded as one of the very finest interpreters of mélodie in the generation after Charles Panzéra and Pierre Bernac.-Background and education:...
's natural successor. His book, Le chant intime, on the interpretation of French song, won the 2004 René Dumesnil Award by the French National Académie des Beaux Arts.
He has been awarded the grade of "Chevalier
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
" in the French National Order of Les Arts et Lettres in 1996, and chosen as "Musical Personality of the year 1997" by the French Critics Union.