Marcel Merkès
Encyclopedia
Marcel Merkès was a French tenor
operetta singer.
Merkès was born in Bordeaux
. After receiving several prizes in singing at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux
, he started at the age of 22 years at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
in the role of Des Grieux in Manon
, an opera by Jules Massenet
. He often performed an operetta duo with his wife Paulette Merval, a singer and violinist, who he had met at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux. They totaled more than 10,500 performances and recorded many records in their careers. He was a prolific performer at the Théâtre Mogador
in Paris.
Merkès was married to violinist and singer Paulette Merval. Their son, Alain Merkès, also pursued a career as singer under the name Alain Valmer. Marcel died in Pessac
.
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...
operetta singer.
Merkès was born in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. After receiving several prizes in singing at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux
Conservatoire de Bordeaux
The Conservatoire de Bordeaux is an arts conservatory that offers higher education in music, dance, and drama in Bordeaux, France. It is one of the leading schools in France for singers and saxophonists. Founded in 1821, the school is operated by the French Ministry of Culture. -Alumni:*Natalie...
, he started at the age of 22 years at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, is a Theatre in Bordeaux, France, first inaugurated on 17 April 1780. It was in this theatre that the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée premiered in 1789, and where a young Marius Petipa staged some of his first ballets....
in the role of Des Grieux in Manon
Manon
Manon is an opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost...
, an opera by Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
. He often performed an operetta duo with his wife Paulette Merval, a singer and violinist, who he had met at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux. They totaled more than 10,500 performances and recorded many records in their careers. He was a prolific performer at the Théâtre Mogador
Théâtre Mogador
Théâtre Mogador founded in 1913 and designed by Bertie Crewe, is a Parisian music hall theatre located at 25, rue de Mogador in the 9th district. It seats 1,800 people on three tiers.In 1913 financier Sir Alfred Butt rented an area in Paris...
in Paris.
Merkès was married to violinist and singer Paulette Merval. Their son, Alain Merkès, also pursued a career as singer under the name Alain Valmer. Marcel died in Pessac
Pessac
Pessac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Bordeaux and is adjacent to it on the southwest. It is a member of the metropolitan Urban Community of Bordeaux...
.
Notable performances
Notable performances, debut of performance is given:- Rêve de ValseEin WalzertraumEin Walzertraum is an operetta by Oscar Straus with a German libretto by Leopold Jacobson and Felix Dörmann, based on the novella Nur der Prinzgemahl by Hans Müller-Einigen from his 1905 book Buch der Abenteuer .The young Jacobson presented Straus with a libretto for Ein Walzertraum at a...
by Oscar StrausOscar Straus (composer)Oscar Nathan Straus was a Viennese composer of operettas and film scores and songs. He also wrote about 500 cabaret songs, chamber music, and orchestral and choral works...
– Théâtre MogadorThéâtre MogadorThéâtre Mogador founded in 1913 and designed by Bertie Crewe, is a Parisian music hall theatre located at 25, rue de Mogador in the 9th district. It seats 1,800 people on three tiers.In 1913 financier Sir Alfred Butt rented an area in Paris...
, Paris, 22 March 1947 - Violettes impériales by Vincent ScottoVincent ScottoVincent Scotto was a French composer.-Biography:Vincent Scotto started his career in Marseille in 1906 and later moved to Paris. Over the course of a lifetime, he wrote 4,000 songs as well as sixty operettas. He was friends with Marcel Pagnol and wrote music for his films...
– Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 31 January 1948 - Annie du Far-WestAnnie du Far-WestAnnie du Far-West is a French operetta, adapted from Annie Get Your Gun by Andre Mouezy-Eon and Albert Willemetzat. It debuted at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 19 February 1950...
by Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
– Théâtre du ChâteletThéâtre du ChâteletThe Théâtre du Châtelet is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.One of two theatres built on the site of a châtelet, a small castle or fortress, it was designed by Gabriel Davioud at the request of Baron Haussmann between 1860 and...
, Paris, 19 February 1950 - Rose-MarieRose-MarieRose-Marie is an operetta-style musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. The story takes place in the Canadian Rockies and concerns Rose-Marie La Flemme, a French Canadian girl who loves miner Jim Kenyon...
by Rudolf FrimlRudolf FrimlRudolf Friml was a composer of operettas, musicals, songs and piano pieces, as well as a pianist. After musical training and a brief performing career in his native Prague, Friml moved to the United States, where he became a composer...
– Théâtre de l'Empire, 12 May 1950 - La Veuve joyeuseThe Merry WidowThe Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro–Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband – on an 1861 comedy play,...
by Franz LehárFranz LehárFranz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
– Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 17 November 1951 - Les Amants de Venise by Vincent ScottoVincent ScottoVincent Scotto was a French composer.-Biography:Vincent Scotto started his career in Marseille in 1906 and later moved to Paris. Over the course of a lifetime, he wrote 4,000 songs as well as sixty operettas. He was friends with Marcel Pagnol and wrote music for his films...
– Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 5 December 1953 - Les amours de Don Juan by Juan Morata – Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 23 December 1955
- Michel Strogoff by Jack Ledru – Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 5 December 1964
- Vienne chante et Danse by Johann Strauss IIJohann Strauss IIJohann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
and Jack Ledru – Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 25 November 1967 - Douchka by Georges GarvarentzGeorges GarvarentzGeorges Garvarentz was an Armenian-French composer, noted for his music for Charles Aznavour's songs.-Biography:Georges Garvarents was born in Athens, Greece, to a family of Armenian immigrants...
and Charles AznavourCharles AznavourCharles Aznavour, OC is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world...
– Théâtre Mogador, Paris, 4 October 1973 - Princesse CzardasDie CsárdásfürstinDie Csárdásfürstin or A Csárdáskirálynő is an operetta in 3 acts by Hungarian composer Emmerich Kalman, libretto by Leo Stein and B. Jenbach. It premiered in Vienna at the Johann Strauss Theater, 17 November 1915. Numerous film versions and recordings have been made...
by Emmerich KálmánEmmerich KalmanEmmerich Kálmán was a Hungarian-born composer of operettas.- Biography :Kálmán was born Imre Koppstein in Siófok, on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, Hungary in a Jewish family.Kálmán initially intended to become a concert pianist, but because of early-onset arthritis, he focused on composition...
, Avignon 1979–1982
Filmography
- Trois de la Canebière by Maurice de Canonge (1956)
- Trois de la Marine by Maurice de Canonge (1957)