Willy Clément
Encyclopedia
Willy Clément was a French baritone
(born in Cairo
on 19 July 1918, died in Paris
on 7 March 1965), who was noted in light baritone roles and operetta.
at a young age, and entered the Conservatoire de Paris
in November 1938, in the classes of Claire Croiza
(singing), Georges Viseur (theory), and Vanni Marcoux
(stage declamation). Due to the war, he completed his studies in Lyon
, and graduated in July 1941, joining the Théâtre des Quatre Saisons Provinciales and singing at the Lyon Opera
in the 1942-43 and 1943-44 seasons. He made his debut as Martin in Le Chemineau by Xavier Leroux
.
In 1944 he made what was the first of many radio broadcasts, as Pippo in La Mascotte
. He was engaged by the Opéra-Comique
in Paris, and made his debut on 1 April 1945 in The Barber of Seville
(Figaro), a role he sang often in Paris and around France. He also sang Marcel in La Boheme
(1946), Nicklauss in Les Contes d'Hoffmann
, Frédéric in Lakmé
, and Pelléas. The latter role took him on tour with the Opéra-Comique to Geneva, Vienna, Strasbourg and Baden-Baden. He later added Ange Pitou (La fille de Madame Angot
), Monsieur Beaucaire
and Henri de Valois (Le roi malgré lui
).
Clément sang in the French premieres of The Rape of Lucretia (Mulhouse, 1948) and The Love for Three Oranges (Monte Carlo, 1952). He also took part in the first opera programme on French television in April 1946 in the Barber of Seville, and followed this with more TV appearances.
He appeared at many French provincial theatres and those in francophone countries, including the Grand Théâtre in Geneva (de Langeac in Les saltimbanques
in 1963 and Duparquet in Ciboulette
in 1964), having sung at the Edinburgh Festival
in 1951 alongside Fanély Revoil
.
He left many recordings of opéras-comiques and operettas, including Ciboulette
, Véronique
, Au soleil du Mexique, Le petit duc
and La vie parisienne
.
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
(born in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
on 19 July 1918, died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 7 March 1965), who was noted in light baritone roles and operetta.
Life and career
Clément came to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at a young age, and entered the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
in November 1938, in the classes of Claire Croiza
Claire Croiza
Claire Croiza was a French mezzo-soprano and an influential teacher of singers.-Career:Claire Croiza was born in Paris, the daughter of an expatriate American father and an Italian mother, and as a child she excelled at piano and singing...
(singing), Georges Viseur (theory), and Vanni Marcoux
Vanni Marcoux
Jean-Émile Diogène Marcoux was a French operatic bass-baritone, known professionally as Vanni Marcoux . He was particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories...
(stage declamation). Due to the war, he completed his studies in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and graduated in July 1941, joining the Théâtre des Quatre Saisons Provinciales and singing at the Lyon Opera
Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon is an opera company in Lyon, France which performs in the Nouvel Opéra, a modernized version in 1993 of the original 1831 opera house.The inaugural performance of François-Adrien Boïeldieu's La Dame blanche was given on 1 July 1831...
in the 1942-43 and 1943-44 seasons. He made his debut as Martin in Le Chemineau by Xavier Leroux
Xavier Leroux
Xavier Henry Napoleón Leroux was a French composer.Leroux was the son of a military bandleader. He studied at the Paris Conservatory under Jules Massenet and Théodore Dubois, and won the Prix de Rome in 1885 with the cantata Endymion...
.
In 1944 he made what was the first of many radio broadcasts, as Pippo in La Mascotte
La mascotte
La mascotte is an opéra comique by Edmond Audran. The French libretto was by Alfred Duru and Henri Charles Chivot. The story concerns a farm girl who is believed to bring good luck to whoever possesses her, so long as she remains a virgin...
. He was engaged by 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...
in Paris, and made his debut on 1 April 1945 in The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
(Figaro), a role he sang often in Paris and around France. He also sang Marcel in La Boheme
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
(1946), Nicklauss in Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
, Frédéric in Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
, and Pelléas. The latter role took him on tour with the Opéra-Comique to Geneva, Vienna, Strasbourg and Baden-Baden. He later added Ange Pitou (La fille de Madame Angot
La fille de Madame Angot
La fille de Madame Angot is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq. The French text was by Clairville, Paul Siraudin and Victor Koning.-Performance history:...
), Monsieur Beaucaire
Monsieur Beaucaire (operetta)
Monsieur Beaucaire is a romantic opera in three acts, composed by André Messager. The libretto, based on the 1900 novel by Booth Tarkington, is by Frederick Lonsdale, with lyrics by Adrian Ross...
and Henri de Valois (Le roi malgré lui
Le roi malgré lui
Le roi malgré lui is an opéra-comique in three acts by Emmanuel Chabrier with an original libretto by Emile de Najac and Paul Burani. The opera is revived occasionally, but has not found a place in the repertory, mainly because of the poor libretto...
).
Clément sang in the French premieres of The Rape of Lucretia (Mulhouse, 1948) and The Love for Three Oranges (Monte Carlo, 1952). He also took part in the first opera programme on French television in April 1946 in the Barber of Seville, and followed this with more TV appearances.
He appeared at many French provincial theatres and those in francophone countries, including the Grand Théâtre in Geneva (de Langeac in Les saltimbanques
Les saltimbanques
Les saltimbanques is an opéra-comique in three acts, libretto by Maurice Ordonneau, music by Louis Ganne, first performed at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, Paris, on December 30, 1899...
in 1963 and Duparquet in Ciboulette
Ciboulette
Ciboulette is a French opérette in three acts, music by Reynaldo Hahn, libretto by Robert de Flers and Francis de Croisset, first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, in Paris, on April 7, 1923...
in 1964), having sung at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
in 1951 alongside Fanély Revoil
Fanély Revoil
Fanély Revoil, born Marseille 25 September 1906, died Annonay 31 January 1999, was a French singer who had a major career in opera and operetta between 1950 and 1989.-Career:...
.
He left many recordings of opéras-comiques and operettas, including Ciboulette
Ciboulette
Ciboulette is a French opérette in three acts, music by Reynaldo Hahn, libretto by Robert de Flers and Francis de Croisset, first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, in Paris, on April 7, 1923...
, Véronique
Véronique (operetta)
Véronique is an opéra comique or operetta in three acts composed by André Messager. The French libretto was by Georges Duval and Albert Vanloo...
, Au soleil du Mexique, Le petit duc
Le petit duc
Le petit duc is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq. The French libretto was by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.-Performance history:...
and La vie parisienne
La vie parisienne
La vie parisienne is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, composed by Jacques Offenbach, with a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.This work was Offenbach's first full-length piece to portray contemporary Parisian life, unlike his earlier period pieces and mythological subjects...
.