Jennie Tourel
Encyclopedia
Jennie Tourel was a Russia
n-American
opera
tic mezzo-soprano
, known for her work in both opera and recital performances.
Born in Vitebsk
, Russia (now Belarus
), with the surname Davidovich, as a young girl she played the flute, then studied piano. After the Revolution, her Jewish family left Russia and settled temporarily near Danzig. They later moved to Paris, where she continued to study piano and contemplated a concert career. She then began to take voice lessons with Anna El-Tour, and decided to devote herself to professional singing. She allegedly changed her last name to Tourel by transposing the syllables of her teacher’s name.
Jennie Tourel made her European operatic debut at the Opéra Russe in Paris in 1931, and subsequently sang at the Opéra-Comique in Paris as Carmen
(9 April 1933) also singing Mignon, Jacqueline (Le médecin malgré lui), Djamileh in 1938, Charlotte (Werther
) and Marcelina (The Marriage of Figaro
) in 1940. She created three roles at the Salle Favart: Labryssa in Tout Ank Amon (5 May 1934), Missouf in Zadig (24 June 1938) and Zouz in La nuit embaumée (25 March 1939).
She made her American début at the Chicago Civic Opera in Ernest Moret’s Lorenzaccio in 1930. Her career at the Metropolitan Opera
was brief: she made her debut in May 1937, as Mignon
, and appeared for a few seasons in the 1940s as Rosina, Adalgisa and Carmen.
In 1937, just before the occupation of Paris by Nazi troops, she went to Lisbon, and eventually emigrated to the United States. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1946. In 1951 she created the role of Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress
. She gave the first performances of songs by Leonard Bernstein
(including the song cycles I Hate Music, 1943, and La Bonne Cuisine, 1949), Francis Poulenc
and Paul Hindemith
(notably the revised Marienleben cycle, 1949).
In later years, Jennie Tourel devoted herself to recitals and orchestra engagements, excelling particularly in French repertoire. She also taught at the Juilliard School
of Music in New York, and at the Aspen School of Music in Colorado. Her last opera performance was as Doña Marta in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri
's Black Widow
at the Seattle Opera
in 1972. She died on November 23, 1973, in New York City.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
, known for her work in both opera and recital performances.
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
, Russia (now Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
), with the surname Davidovich, as a young girl she played the flute, then studied piano. After the Revolution, her Jewish family left Russia and settled temporarily near Danzig. They later moved to Paris, where she continued to study piano and contemplated a concert career. She then began to take voice lessons with Anna El-Tour, and decided to devote herself to professional singing. She allegedly changed her last name to Tourel by transposing the syllables of her teacher’s name.
Jennie Tourel made her European operatic debut at the Opéra Russe in Paris in 1931, and subsequently sang at the Opéra-Comique in Paris as 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...
(9 April 1933) also singing Mignon, Jacqueline (Le médecin malgré lui), Djamileh in 1938, Charlotte (Werther
Werther
Werther is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann based on the German epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe....
) and Marcelina (The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
) in 1940. She created three roles at the Salle Favart: Labryssa in Tout Ank Amon (5 May 1934), Missouf in Zadig (24 June 1938) and Zouz in La nuit embaumée (25 March 1939).
She made her American début at the Chicago Civic Opera in Ernest Moret’s Lorenzaccio in 1930. Her career 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...
was brief: she made her debut in May 1937, as 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,...
, and appeared for a few seasons in the 1940s as Rosina, Adalgisa and Carmen.
In 1937, just before the occupation of Paris by Nazi troops, she went to Lisbon, and eventually emigrated to the United States. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1946. In 1951 she created the role of Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings A Rake's Progress of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago...
. She gave the first performances of songs by Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
(including the song cycles I Hate Music, 1943, and La Bonne Cuisine, 1949), Francis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
and Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
(notably the revised Marienleben cycle, 1949).
In later years, Jennie Tourel devoted herself to recitals and orchestra engagements, excelling particularly in French repertoire. She also taught at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
of Music in New York, and at the Aspen School of Music in Colorado. Her last opera performance was as Doña Marta in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri
Thomas Pasatieri
Thomas Pasatieri is an American opera composer.He began composing at age 10 and, as a teenager, studied with Nadia Boulanger...
's Black Widow
Black Widow (opera)
Black Widow is an opera in three acts by Thomas Pasatieri with an English libretto also by the composer. The libretto is based on Miguel de Unamuno's Dos madres. The opera premiered on March 2, 1972 with Seattle Opera. Other notable productions include Lake George Opera in 1972 and the Atlanta...
at the Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
in 1972. She died on November 23, 1973, in New York City.