Léon Carvalho
Léon Carvalho (18 January 1825 – 29 December 1897) was a French
Biography
Born Léon Carvaille in Port Louis, British Mauritius, 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.[1]
He then gave up singing and took on the direction of the
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.[2]
Carvalho then moved to manage the
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
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.[4]
After the burning of the Salle Favart in 1887, which caused the death of 84 persons, he was held responsible,[2] 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.[2]
He died in Paris.
References
- ^ Huebner S. Léon Carvalho. In Sadie, S: The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London & New York, Macmillan, 1997.
- ^ Walsh TJ. Second Empire Opera – The Théâtre-Lyrique Paris 1851–1870. John Calder Ltd, London, 1981.
- ^ Dean W. Bizet. London, J M Dent & Sons, 1978.
- ^ a b Huebner S. French Opera at the Fin de Siecle. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999.
Sources
- Le guide de l'opéra, Mancini & Rouveroux, (Fayard, 1986), ISBN 978-2-213-01563-7.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
