Adolphe Nourrit-The Rest of the Story
2013; Routledge; Volume: 70; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2769-4046
Autores Tópico(s)Musicology and Musical Analysis
Resumoprov-e-nance (prov'a-nans) n. Place of origin, source. [LAT. Provenire, to originate.]THE LEGENDARY RIVALRY between Gilbert Duprez and Adolphe Nourrit at the Paris Opera during the 1830s has always fascinated me. I first heard a version of the story from my teacher John Large in one of the pedagogy classes that I took from him many years ago. The basic storyline is familiar: Duprez introduced the Paris audience to the do di petto, the tenor high C in the chest voice, and in doing so supplanted Nourrit and his falsetto dominated high voice in his role as the leading tenor at the Paris Opera. I have often included parts of the story (as I have understood it) in my own lectures and writings over the years. I recently found a brief account of Nourrit published in 1839 in an American journal published in 1839 from a wonderful resource called American Periodicals Series Online (a produce of a company called ProQuest). The following article was so informative to me in understanding some of the details of that story that I wanted to share it with you.1BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF ADOLPHE NOURRIT2The name of this celebrated singer is inseparably connected with the history of the French opera, which underwent a marked revolution during the sixteen years of Nourrit's successive engagements. In the above interval Rossini adapted to French texts his two masterly productions, Guillaume Tell and Moise, and they were performed at the French Opera with triumphant success.Adolphe Nourrit was born in Paris on the 31st of March, 1802. His father, who as a singer of some reputation in the old French school, destined his son for mercantile pursuits, and young Nourrit was successively employed in commercial houses in Lyons and Paris. Though this occupation was not in accordance with the bent of this inclination, yet he discharged the duties it imposed upon him with the utmost diligence and punctuality. His passion for music led him to study that art as a source of recreation and amusement; and, possessing a fine voice, he was induced to take lessons in singing from Garcia, the father of Madame Malibran.The proficiency which young Nourrit attained under the tuition of his able master, tended to increase his distaste for the career which his father had marked out for him; and, by degrees, he wholly devoted himself to that calling which his genius irresistibly prompted him to adopt. On the 10th of September, 1821, Adolphe Nourrit made his debut at the Academie Royale de Musique, in the character of Pylade, in Gluck's Iphigenie en Tauride.An agreeable person, a fine clear tenor voice, refined taste, and correct execution, could not fail to ensure his success. He speedily became an established favorite, an unrivalled representative of many of the principal characters of the French opera. By dint of unwearied efforts, and unabated study and practice, Nourrit succeeded in attaining conjointly the highest power of expression in singing and in musical declamation.From 1821 to 1826 Nourrit appeared in most of the operas forming the old repertoire of the Academie Royale, and likewise in two operas composed by his master, Garcia, viz., Florestan, and La Mort de Tasso. In 1826 Rossini determined to employ his talents in the service of the French opera, and, in consequence, Madame Cinti Damoreau and Levasseur, previously members of the Italian company, were engaged for the Academy. In the Siege de Corinthe, a translation from Maometto Secondo, Adolphe Nourrit performed the part of Niocles. He was especially successful in the pathetic air in the third act, which Rossini added to the score, having composed it expressly for Nourrit. The Siege de Corinthe was succeeded by the translation of Mose. In that superb opera the talents of Madame Damoreau, Nourrit, and Levasseur, were for the first time united.But the character which secured to Nourrit his greatest triumph both as a singer and as an actor was Masaniello. In this part his talents were developed quite in a new light, and his reputation as an able comedian took its date from the production of Auber's Muette de Portici. …
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