Caroline Girard
Encyclopedia
Caroline Girard was a French operatic soprano. She was the mother of Juliette Simon-Girard
.
in Paris from 1853, creating many roles including Margot in Le diable à quatre by Solié/Adam in 1853, Columbine in Le tableau parlant
by Grétry in 1854, Nancy/Aenchen in Robin des Bois
by Weber in 1855, Pétronille in Le sourd ou l’auberge pleine by Adam in 1856, Antonio in Richard Coeur-de-lion
by Grétry in 1856, Fatime in Oberon
by Weber in 1857, Barberine in Les noces de Figaro
in 1858, Florette in Les rosières by Hérold in 1860 and Papillon/Despina in Peines d’amours perdues
by Mozart/Shakespeare in 1863.
Moving in 1863 to the Opéra-Comique
, where she was described as a 'dugazon
', she made her debut there as Lucette in La fausse magie on 16 July 1863. She took part in the premieres of Les Bourguignonnes in 1863, Sylvie (1864) in the title role, Les absents (1864), Fils du brigadier (1867) as l'hôtelière Catellna, La grand'tante
(1867) as La Chevrette, Robinson Crusoé
(1867) as Suzanne, and La fille du tambour-major
(1879) as the Duchesse Della Volta (where she also appeared with her daughter and son-in-law). At the Bouffes Parisiens
she created the role of Léona in Maître Péronilla
in 1878.
Her other roles at the Salle Favart included Nicette in Le Pré aux clercs
, Suzette in Marie, Mazet in La Colombe, Babel in le Nouveau Seigneur du village, Madeleine in Le postillon de Lonjumeau
, and in 1868 she recreated the role of Georgette in Les dragons de Villars.
On 24 August 1863 she sang in the cantata Après la victoire by Lefébure-Wély
at the Opéra-Comique.
Roles created at Théâtre Lyrique
Juliette Simon-Girard
Juliette-Joséphine Simon-Girard was a French soprano, principally in operetta. Her father was Philippe Lockroy, an actor at the Comédie Française, and her mother was Caroline Girard, of the Opéra-Comique.-Career:...
.
Career
Girard was a principal singer at the Théâtre LyriqueThéâtre 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 Paris from 1853, creating many roles including Margot in Le diable à quatre by Solié/Adam in 1853, Columbine in Le tableau parlant
Le tableau parlant
Le tableau parlant is an opéra comique, described as a comédie-parade, in one act by André Grétry, The French text was by Louis Anseaume.-Performance history:...
by Grétry in 1854, Nancy/Aenchen in Robin des Bois
Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
by Weber in 1855, Pétronille in Le sourd ou l’auberge pleine by Adam in 1856, Antonio in Richard Coeur-de-lion
Richard Coeur-de-lion (opera)
Richard Coeur-de-lion is an opéra comique, described as a comédie mise en musique, by the Belgian composer André Grétry. was by Michel-Jean Sedaine. The work is generally recognised as Grétry's masterpiece and one of the most important French opéras comiques...
by Grétry in 1856, Fatime in Oberon
Oberon (opera)
Oberon, or The Elf King's Oath is a 3-act romantic opera in English with spoken dialogue and music by Carl Maria von Weber. The libretto by James Robinson Planche was based on a German poem, Oberon, by Christoph Martin Wieland, which itself was based on the epic romance Huon de Bordeaux, a French...
by Weber in 1857, Barberine in Les noces de Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
in 1858, Florette in Les rosières by Hérold in 1860 and Papillon/Despina in Peines d’amours perdues
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
by Mozart/Shakespeare in 1863.
Moving in 1863 to 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...
, where she was described as a 'dugazon
Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre
Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre , also known as Madame Dugazon, was a French operatic mezzo-soprano, actress and dancer....
', she made her debut there as Lucette in La fausse magie on 16 July 1863. She took part in the premieres of Les Bourguignonnes in 1863, Sylvie (1864) in the title role, Les absents (1864), Fils du brigadier (1867) as l'hôtelière Catellna, La grand'tante
La grand'tante
La grand'tante is an opera in one act by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Jules Adenis and Charles Grandvallet. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on April 3, 1867...
(1867) as La Chevrette, Robinson Crusoé
Robinson Crusoé
Robinson Crusoé is an opéra comique, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach.The French libretto was written by Eugène Cormon and Hector-Jonathan Crémieux, which was loosely adapted from the novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, though the work owes more to British pantomime than to the book...
(1867) as Suzanne, and La fille du tambour-major
La fille du tambour-major
La fille du tambour-major is an opéra comique, or operetta, in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Alfred Duru and Henri Charles Chivot ....
(1879) as the Duchesse Della Volta (where she also appeared with her daughter and son-in-law). At the Bouffes Parisiens
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is a Parisian theatre which was founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In...
she created the role of Léona in Maître Péronilla
Maître Péronilla
Maître Péronilla is an opéra bouffe in three acts of 1878 with music by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was by the composer with Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter and Paul Ferrier....
in 1878.
Her other roles at the Salle Favart included Nicette in Le Pré aux clercs
Le Pré aux clercs
Le pré aux clercs is an opéra comique in three acts by Ferdinand Hérold with a libretto by François-Antoine-Eugène de Planard based on Prosper Mérimée's Chronique du temps de Charles IX of 1829.-Performance history:...
, Suzette in Marie, Mazet in La Colombe, Babel in le Nouveau Seigneur du village, Madeleine in Le postillon de Lonjumeau
Le postillon de Lonjumeau
Le postillon de Lonjumeau is an opéra-comique in three acts by Adolphe Adam to a French libretto by 'Adolphe de Leuven' and 'Brunswick' ....
, and in 1868 she recreated the role of Georgette in Les dragons de Villars.
On 24 August 1863 she sang in the cantata Après la victoire by Lefébure-Wély
Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wely
Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wely was a French organist and composer.-Short Biography:Lefébure-Wely played a major role in the development of the French symphonic organ style and was a close friend of the organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, inaugurating many new Cavaillé-Coll organs.He began to...
at the Opéra-Comique.
Roles created at Théâtre LyriqueThéâtre LyriqueThe 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...
- Lisbeth in La fille invisible by BoieldieuFrançois-Adrien BoïeldieuFrançois-Adrien Boieldieu was a French composer, mainly of operas, often called "the French Mozart".-Biography:...
, 1854 - Simonette in La promise by Clapisson, 1854
- Olivette in Schahabaham II by Gautier in 1854
- Christine in Le roman de la rose by Pascal in 1854
- Ines in Une nuit à Séville by Barbier in 1855
- Don Luiz in Les lavandières de Santarem by GevaertFrançois-Auguste GevaertFrançois-Auguste Gevaert was a Belgian composer.His father was a baker, and he was intended for the same profession, but better counsels prevailed and he was permitted to study music. He was sent in 1841 to the Ghent Conservatory, where he studied under Edouard de Sommere and Martin-Joseph Mengal...
in 1855 - Georgette in Les dragons de VillarsLes dragons de VillarsLes dragons de Villars is an opéra-comique in three acts by Aimé Maillart to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Joseph-Philippe Lockroy.-Performance history:...
by Maillart in 1856 - Inésille in Les nuits d’Espagne by Semet in 1857
- Nanette in Margot by Clapisson in 1857
- Jacqueline in Le médecin malgré luiLe médecin malgré lui (opera)Le médecin malgré lui is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré after Molière's play, also entitled Le Médecin malgré lui.-Performance history:It premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on 15 January 1858...
by Gounod in 1858 - Myrtille in L’agneau de Chloe by Montaubry in 1858
- LulliJean-Baptiste LullyJean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
, (breeches roleBreeches roleA breeches role is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing .In opera it also refers to any male character that is sung and acted by a female singer...
) in Les petits violons du roi by Deffès in 1859 - Laure in Gil Blas by Semet in 1860
- Le Baron de Gonesse/Louis XV in Le café du roi by Deffès in 1861
- Title role in L’ondine by Semet in 1863