Gilbert Duprez

Duprez, Gilbert

französischer Opernsänger (Tenor), Komponist und Gesangslehrer (1806-1896). Eigenh. Brief mit Unterschrift. Paris. 8vo. 1 p. Doppelblatt.
$ 216 / 200 € (90509)

An einen Herrn, dem er eine junge Sängerin empfiehlt.

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Duprez, Gilbert

französischer Opernsänger (Tenor), Komponist und Gesangslehrer (1806-1896). Eigenh. Brief mit Unterschrift. Paris. 4to. 1 p.
$ 260 / 240 € (90510)

An einen Musikdirektor: „Ayant obtenu de l’administration de l’Academie R. de musique un congé de six semaines du 15. octobre au 1r Décembre prochain, Vous serait il possible de m’accorder la meme faveur! Dans ce cas je m’arrangerais de manière a ce que les élèves que me sont confiés n’aient point trop à souffrir de cette absence. […]“

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Duprez, Gilbert

French tenor (1806-1896). Autograph letter signed. Paris. 12.10.1846. 8vo. 2 pp. on bifolium. With autograph address.
$ 238 / 220 € (86057/BN56777)

To the lawyer and politician Adolphe Crémieux (1796-1880) concerning an upcoming concert together with the mezzo-soprano Émilie Emma Courtot in Bourgueil near Tours. Crémieux apparently planned the concert when he was deputy for the department Indre-et-Loire (1842-51). Duprez includes a list of arias and duets from Fromental Halévy's "Guido et Ginevra", Donizetti's "La favorite" and "Lucia di Lammermoor" among others to choose from for the programme: "Mon cher Avocat, député et surtout ami, n’entendant plus parler de notre Concert je prends l’initiative et Vous envoie la liste des morceaux dont vous pourrez bourrer votre programme.

J’ignore encore quelles sont les ressources dont à part Mlle Courtot et moi vous pouvez déposer, - plus vous auriez d’artistes, mieux cela vaudrait cependant, en tous cas voici se que nous vous offrons: 1° Le Lac d. Niedermeyer - Mlle Courtot 2° La scène et air de Guido - il 3° La Romance de la Favorite - moi 4° La scène et air de Lucie [...] - Si vous voulez autres choses, écrivez moi avant jeudi, car ce jour nous nous mettrons en route pour Tours par le convoi de 8.30 du matin. Je ferai provision de musique afin que nous n’en manquions pas à Bourgueil [...]". - After a bumpy start of his singing career in Paris, Gilbert Duprez went to Italy in 1828, where he adopted the contemporary "tenore contraltino" register and soon built a strong reputation. In the Italian premiere of Rossini's "Guglielmo Tell" in 1831, Duprez pioneered the operatic high C sung from the chest, instead of the somewhat weaker falsettone register that was costumary until then. His greatest success in Italy was the creation of the role of Edgardo in the 1835 premiere of Donizzeti's "Lucia di Lammermoor". His Italian reputation firmly established, Duprez returned to Paris in 1836 and scored an immediate success at the Paris Opera with his new style of vocal delivery. Important premieres such as Berlioz's "Benvenuto Cellini" (1838), Donizetti's "La favorite" (1840), and Verdi's "Jérusalem" (1847) followed. However, Duprez's vocal style exceeded his physical resources. His singing began to deteriorate as early as 1838, and he was forced to retire from the stage completely in 1851, turning to teaching. Duprez's innovative style gave rise to the 19th century "tenore de forza", heralding the "dramatic tenor" range and style of today. - On stationery with embossed monogram. With traces of former mounting. Minor foxing and browning..

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