Jean-François Delmas (bass-baritone) facts for kids
Jean-François Delmas (born April 14, 1861 – died September 29, 1933) was a famous French opera singer. People also knew him as Francisque Delmas. He was a special kind of singer called a bass-baritone. This means he had a deep voice, but could also sing higher notes like a baritone. He became famous for creating new roles in many French operas, like Athanaël in the opera Thaïs.
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Meet Jean-François Delmas
Jean-François Delmas was born in Lyon, France. He loved music and studied singing at the Paris Conservatoire. This was a very famous music school. He worked hard and won top prizes for his singing there.
His Opera Journey Begins
Delmas started his professional singing career in 1886. His first big performance was as Saint-Bris in the opera Les Huguenots. He sang at the Paris Opéra, which is a very important opera house in Paris. He stayed with this company for a very long time, until 1927! He mostly sang in France.
What Made His Voice Special?
Delmas was known for his powerful voice. His voice was smooth and even, from the lowest notes to the highest. He had a rich, deep sound in the bass parts. But he could also reach high notes, which allowed him to sing roles usually meant for baritones, like Iago in the opera Otello.
Where Else Did He Sing?
Even though he mostly sang in France, Delmas did perform in a few other countries. He sang at the Mariinsky in St Petersburg, Russia. He also performed at the San Carlo in Lisbon, Portugal. Another place he sang was the Monte Carlo Opera House in Monaco.
Creating New Opera Roles
Jean-François Delmas was very important because he helped bring many new operas to life. He was the first singer to perform certain roles in these operas. Some of these roles include:
- Amrou in Le Mage
- Mathias in Messidor
- L'Etranger in L'Etranger
- Périthoüs in Ariane
- Marco Colonna in Monna Vanna
- Fabius in Roma
He also sang in the first Paris performance of Fervaal, playing the role of Arfagard.
His Recordings
Delmas made many recordings during his career. These recordings were made for companies like G&T, Pathé, Zonophone, Fonotipia, Odéon, and Opéra-Saphir. Today, these old recordings are very special. Music collectors really want to find them.
Later Life
Jean-François Delmas passed away in 1933 at the age of 72. He died in Saint-Alban-de-Montbel, which is near Chambéry, France. He is buried in the Cimetière Saint-Vincent de Montmartre in Paris. His wife, Blanche d'Ervilly, who was also a singer, is buried with him.
