Léon Carvalho
Encyclopedia
Léon Carvalho was a French impresario
and stage director.
, he came to France at an early age. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and sang as a baritone
at the Opéra-Comique
(1850-55), where he met the soprano Marie Caroline Miolan
, whom he married in 1853.
He then gave up singing and took on the direction of the Théâtre Lyrique
in 1856, where he presented works by Beethoven, Mozart, Rossini, Weber
, but most importantly opened his doors to new French composers turned down by the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique, such as Berlioz, Gounod, Bizet, Saint-Saëns and Delibes
.
In early 1868 Carvalho started another operatic venture at the Théâtre de la Renaissance
. However he was declared bankrupt on 6 May 1868, forcing him out from both theatres.
Carvalho then moved to manage the Théâtre du Vaudeville
. Although the principal focus was straight plays, he revived the melodrama – a play with incidental music. He commissioned Bizet to write music for a production of Daudet’s
L'Arlésienne
on 1 October 1872.
He became director of the Opéra-Comique in 1876, and although he promoted many new works, his choice of repertory became somewhat conservative, emphasising the traditional French repertoire. However, he also produced the premieres of Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Lakmé
, Manon
and Le roi malgré lui
, and in his second tenure from 1891 Le Reve and L'attaque du moulin
. Carvalho also brought Carmen
back to the Opera-Comique in 1883, firstly in an expurgated version, and then with the creator of the title-role Galli-Marié and some of the more earthy elements restored.
In 1884 he prepared to bring Lohengrin
to the Parisian stage, visiting Vienna to study a production there, but was eventually forced by a virulent press campaign to abandon his plan in early 1886.
After the burning of the Salle Favart
in 1887, which caused the death of 84 persons, he was held responsible, condemned for negligence and imprisoned. However, after an appeal he was acquitted, and reinstated as director of the theatre in 1891, where he continued promoting new talent.
His extravagant nature, both personal, and in his work as an impresario led to debt and a succession of bankruptcies.
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
and stage director.
Biography
Born Léon Carvaille in Port-Louis, MauritiusMauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, he came to France at an early age. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and sang as a baritone
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...
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...
(1850-55), where he met the soprano Marie Caroline Miolan
Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho
Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho was a famed French operatic soprano, particularly associated with light lyric and coloratura roles....
, whom he married in 1853.
He then gave up singing and took on the direction of the Théâtre Lyrique
Théâtre Lyrique
The Théâtre Lyrique was one of four opera companies performing in Paris during the middle of the 19th century . The company was founded in 1847 as the Opéra-National by the French composer Adolphe Adam and renamed Théâtre Lyrique in 1852...
in 1856, where he presented works by Beethoven, Mozart, Rossini, Weber
Weber
Weber is a surname of German origin, derived from the noun meaning "weaver". In some cases, following migration to English-speaking countries, it has been anglicised to the English surname 'Webber' or even 'Weaver'.Notable people with the surname include:...
, but most importantly opened his doors to new French composers turned down by the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique, such as Berlioz, Gounod, Bizet, Saint-Saëns and Delibes
Delibes
Delibes may refer to:People with surname Delibes:* Léo Delibes , French composer* Miguel Delibes , Spanish novelist...
.
In early 1868 Carvalho started another operatic venture at the Théâtre de la Renaissance
Théâtre de la Renaissance
The name Théâtre de la Renaissance has been used successively for three distinct Parisian theatre companies. The first two companies, which were short-lived enterprises in the 19th century, used the Salle Ventadour, now an office building on the Rue Méhul in the 2nd arrondissement.The current...
. However he was declared bankrupt on 6 May 1868, forcing him out from both theatres.
Carvalho then moved to manage the Théâtre du Vaudeville
Théâtre du Vaudeville
The Théâtre du Vaudeville was a theatre in Paris. It opened on 12 January 1792 on rue de Chartres. Its directors, Piis and Barré, mainly put on "petites pièces mêlées de couplets sur des airs connus", including vaudevilles....
. Although the principal focus was straight plays, he revived the melodrama – a play with incidental music. He commissioned Bizet to write music for a production of Daudet’s
Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist. He was the father of Léon Daudet and Lucien Daudet.- Early life :Alphonse Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the bourgeoisie. The father, Vincent Daudet, was a silk manufacturer — a man dogged through life by misfortune...
L'Arlésienne
L'Arlésienne (play)
L'Arlésienne is a short story, written by Alphonse Daudet and first published in his collection Letters From My Windmill in 1869....
on 1 October 1872.
He became director of the Opéra-Comique in 1876, and although he promoted many new works, his choice of repertory became somewhat conservative, emphasising the traditional French repertoire. However, he also produced the premieres of Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
, Manon
Manon
Manon is an opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost...
and Le roi malgré lui
Le roi malgré lui
Le roi malgré lui is an opéra-comique in three acts by Emmanuel Chabrier with an original libretto by Emile de Najac and Paul Burani. The opera is revived occasionally, but has not found a place in the repertory, mainly because of the poor libretto...
, and in his second tenure from 1891 Le Reve and L'attaque du moulin
L'attaque du moulin
L'attaque du moulin is an opera in four acts by the French composer Alfred Bruneau. The libretto, by Louis Gallet, is based on a short story by Emile Zola about the Franco-Prussian War which was included in the collection Les soirées de Médan...
. Carvalho also brought 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...
back to the Opera-Comique in 1883, firstly in an expurgated version, and then with the creator of the title-role Galli-Marié and some of the more earthy elements restored.
In 1884 he prepared to bring 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...
to the Parisian stage, visiting Vienna to study a production there, but was eventually forced by a virulent press campaign to abandon his plan in early 1886.
After the burning of the Salle Favart
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...
in 1887, which caused the death of 84 persons, he was held responsible, condemned for negligence and imprisoned. However, after an appeal he was acquitted, and reinstated as director of the theatre in 1891, where he continued promoting new talent.
His extravagant nature, both personal, and in his work as an impresario led to debt and a succession of bankruptcies.