Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Robert Massard was a French bass-baritone who was born on December 24, 1925, in Marseille, France. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. Massard began his musical training at a young age and studied at the Marseille Conservatory. He later continued his studies at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied with the renowned French baritone, Martial Singher. Massard made his professional debut in 1950 at the Opéra de Marseille, where he sang the role of Escamillo in Georges Bizet's Carmen. He quickly gained recognition for his powerful voice and commanding stage presence. In 1952, he made his debut at the Opéra de Paris, where he sang the role of the High Priest in Camille Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila. Throughout his career, Massard performed in many of the world's leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, and La Scala in Milan. He was particularly renowned for his performances in French opera, including the works of Georges Bizet, Jules Massenet, and Charles Gounod. One of Massard's most notable performances was his portrayal of the title role in Hector Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust at the Royal Opera House in London in 1966. His performance was widely praised for its dramatic intensity and vocal power. He also received critical acclaim for his performances in the title role of Gounod's Mephistopheles and the role of Don Basilio in Rossini's The Barber of Seville. In addition to his work in opera, Massard was also a prolific concert performer. He performed in many of the world's leading concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London. He was particularly renowned for his performances of French art songs, including the works of Gabriel Fauré and Claude Debussy. Throughout his career, Massard received many awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 1962, he was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for his recording of Gounod's Mephistopheles. He was also awarded the title of Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, one of France's highest honors, in recognition of his contributions to French culture. Massard continued to perform well into his seventies, and his final performance was in 1997, at the age of 72. He passed away on November 2, 2002, at the age of 76. His legacy as one of the greatest French bass-baritones of the 20th century lives on through his recordings and the memories of those who were fortunate enough to see him perform.

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