Pierre-Émile Engel
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Émile Engel was a French operatic tenor
active on the stages of Brussels, Paris, Monte-Carlo and other European cities where he sang leading roles in several world premieres.
. He made his debut in 1863 at the age of 16 in Duprez's Jeanne d'Arc. Early in his career sang at the Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes in Paris, where in 1867 he created the title role in Jules-Laurent Duprato's Le chanteur florentin. He made his debut at the Opéra-Comique
in 1877 and the following year there created the role of Fernande in Pierre-Louis Deffès's Les noces de Fernande. In 1879, he left the Opéra-Comique and sang in other European countries. From 1885 to 1889 he was a leading tenor with Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels
, singing in the world premieres of Litolff's, Les templiers (1886), Chabrier
's Gwendoline (1886), Godard
's Jocelyn
(1888), and Mathieu
's Richilde (1888).
His elder son José (born 13 August 1873) was a painter, who left portraits and caricatures of Chabrier; after Gwendoline the families become close, corresponding and visiting each other. Chabrier dedicated his Chanson de Jeanne to Engel.
In his later years Engel taught singing and remained in demand as a recitalist. His most famous pupil was Jane Bathori
, whom he later married. The couple often sang together in recitals of art song
by contemporary French composers. Ravel's "Le martin-pêcheur" ("The kingfisher") from his song cycle Histoires naturelles is dedicated to Engel as is Satie's "Daphénéo". Engel became a Professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1907 and taught there until World War I. Amongst his other pupils were Louis Cazette, Louis Guénot, Françoise Rosay
, and the Canadian tenor Rodolphe Plamondon. Pierre-Émile Engel died in Paris in 1927 at the age of 80.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
active on the stages of Brussels, Paris, Monte-Carlo and other European cities where he sang leading roles in several world premieres.
Life and career
Engel was born in Paris and studied for four years with Gilbert DuprezGilbert Duprez
Gilbert Duprez was a French tenor, singing teacher and minor composer who famously pioneered the delivery of the operatic high C from the chest. He also created the role of Edgardo in the popular bel canto-era opera Lucia di Lammermoor in 1835.-Biography:Gilbert-Louis Duprez, to give his full...
. He made his debut in 1863 at the age of 16 in Duprez's Jeanne d'Arc. Early in his career sang at the Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes in Paris, where in 1867 he created the title role in Jules-Laurent Duprato's Le chanteur florentin. He made his debut 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...
in 1877 and the following year there created the role of Fernande in Pierre-Louis Deffès's Les noces de Fernande. In 1879, he left the Opéra-Comique and sang in other European countries. From 1885 to 1889 he was a leading tenor with Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, singing in the world premieres of Litolff's, Les templiers (1886), Chabrier
Emmanuel Chabrier
Emmanuel Chabrier was a French Romantic composer and pianist. Although known primarily for two of his orchestral works, España and Joyeuse marche, he left an important corpus of operas , songs, and piano music as well...
's Gwendoline (1886), Godard
Benjamin Godard
Benjamin Louis Paul Godard was a French violinist and Romantic composer.-Biography:Born in Paris, Godard was a student of Henri Vieuxtemps. He entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1863 where he studied under Vieuxtemps and Napoléon Henri Reber and accompanied Vieuxtemps twice to Germany...
's Jocelyn
Jocelyn (opera)
Jocelyn is a four-act opera by Benjamin Godard, set to a French libretto by Paul Armand Silvestre and the famous tenor Victor Capoul. Taken from the poem by Alphonse de Lamartine, the action takes place in Grenoble and the surrounding mountains during Corpus Christi at the close of the 18th century...
(1888), and Mathieu
Émile Mathieu (composer)
Émile Mathieu was a Belgian composer of classical music.His best known work today is "Freyhir", an hour-long choral tone poem written in 1883 on the theme of deforestation around Ardennes where the composer grew up...
's Richilde (1888).
His elder son José (born 13 August 1873) was a painter, who left portraits and caricatures of Chabrier; after Gwendoline the families become close, corresponding and visiting each other. Chabrier dedicated his Chanson de Jeanne to Engel.
In his later years Engel taught singing and remained in demand as a recitalist. His most famous pupil was Jane Bathori
Jane Bathori
Jane Bathori was a French opera singer. Born in Paris, France, she was famous on the operatic stage and important in the development of contemporary French music....
, whom he later married. The couple often sang together in recitals of art song
Art song
An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano or orchestral accompaniment. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the genre of such songs....
by contemporary French composers. Ravel's "Le martin-pêcheur" ("The kingfisher") from his song cycle Histoires naturelles is dedicated to Engel as is Satie's "Daphénéo". Engel became a Professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1907 and taught there until World War I. Amongst his other pupils were Louis Cazette, Louis Guénot, Françoise Rosay
Françoise Rosay
Françoise Rosay was a French opera singer, diseuse, and actress who enjoyed a film career of over sixty years and who became a legendary figure in French cinema...
, and the Canadian tenor Rodolphe Plamondon. Pierre-Émile Engel died in Paris in 1927 at the age of 80.
Sources
- Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Pierre-Émile Engel". Almanacco Amadeus. Accessed 14 March 2011 (Italian).
- de Sévérac, Déodat and Guillot, Pierre (2002). La musique et les lettres. Editions Mardaga. ISBN 2870097794
- Girard, Victor (1998). Liner Notes: Jane Bathori, The Complete Solo Recordings. Marston Records.
- Martin, Jules (1895) Nos artists: Portraits et biographies. Paris: Libraire de l'Annuaire universale, p. 147