MAURICE RENAUD (BORDEAUX, FRANCE 1861 - PARIS, FRANCE 1933)
His real name was Maurice Croneau. He studied singing at the Conservatoire de Paris, then under Dupont and Gevaert in Brussels. He made his debut in 1884 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie inBrussels and belonged to the ensemble of this opera house till 1890.
Here he appeared in the premieres of the operas:
1884 ‘’Sigurd’’ (Ernest Reyer)
1886 ‘’Les Templiers’’ (Henry Charles Litolff)
1890 ‘’Salammbô’’ (Ernest Reyer)
1890 ‘’Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’’ (Richard Wagner)
1890 he was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, where he sang in 1891 the part of Nelusco in G. Meyerbeer’s ‘’Africaine’’, then Karnac in ‘’Le roi d'Ys’’ of E. Lalo. Till 1902 he had in this opera houses a huge success. At the Grand Opéra he appeared in the following opera premieres:
1893 ‘’Deidamia’’ (Henri Maréchal)
1894 ‘’Djelma’’ (Charles Lefebvre)
1895 ‘’La Montagne Noire’’ (Augusta Holmès)
1895 ‘’Tannhäuser’’ (Richard Wagner)
1897 ‘’Lohengrin’’ (Richard Wagner)
1897 ‘’Der Ring des Nibelungen’’ (Richard Wagner)
1897 ‘’Messidor’’ (A. Bruneau)
1900 ‘’Lancelot’’ (F. L. R. Joncières)
1903 ‘’La damnation de Faust’’ (Hector Berlioz)
He made successful guest appearances in Milano (La Scala), London (Covent Garden, 1897-1904),St. Petersburg (Court Opera, 1889), Berlin (Court Opera, 1907), Brussels and Monte Carlo.
In North America already in 1893 he sang at the Opera in New Orleans.
His other appearances in opera premieres included:
1898 London Covent Garden ‘’Henri VIII’’ (C. Saint-Saëns)
1899 London Covent Garden ‘’Messaline’’ (Isidore De Lara).
18. 2. 1902 Opéra de Monte-Carlo ‘’Le jongleur de Notre-Dame’’ (J. Massenet)
1904 London Covent Garden ‘’Hérodiade’’ (English première).
14. 2. 1905 Opéra de Monte-Carlo ‘’Chérubin’’ (J. Massenet)
18. 3. 1905 Opéra de Monte-Carlo ‘’Amica’’ (P. Mascangni)
9. 11. 1905 Genoa Teatro Politeama ‘’Mademoiselle de Belle-Isle’’ (Spiro Samara)
24.6.1906 Opéra de Monte-Carlo ‘’Ancêtre’’ (C. Saint-Saëns)
1906 Paris Théâtre Nouveau ‘’Le clown’’ ( Isaac de Camondo)
2. 2. 1907 Opéra de Monte-Carlo ‘’Naïs Micculin’’ (A. Bruneau).
In the 1906-1910 seasons he had a huge success at the Manhattan Opera House in New York, where he made his debut as Rigoletto and appeared among other things in the American première of J. Massenet’s ‘’Thaïs’’ (1907). In 1909 he sang in this opera house in the première of J. Massenet’s ‘’Hérodiade’’ as Herodes. In the 1910-1912 seasons he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Here he made his debut as Rigoletto opposite Nellie Melba in the part of Gilda. He made guest appearances in North America, also in Chicago and Boston. In 1912 he came back to France and retired from the stage in Paris, where he appeared in 1919 again together with Mary Garden in the opera ‘’Cléopâtre’’ of J. Massenet. Around 1920 he appeared in French silent film. He was active in Paris as a vocal pedagogue.
Chronology of some appearances
Athanaël 11/24/1908, Boniface 12/3/1908, Coppélius 12/10/1908, Dr. Miracle 12/10/1908, Dapertutto 12/10/1908, Il barone Scarpia 2/2/1909, Rigoletto 2/18/1909, Il barone Scarpia 2/27/1909, Rigoletto 3/20/1909, Hérode 11/11/1909, Coppélius 12/31/1909, Dr. Miracle 12/31/1909, Dapertutto 12/31/1909, Coppélius 1/18/1910, Dr. Miracle 1/18/1910, Dapertutto 1/18/1910, Athanaël 1/25/1910, Dapertutto 3/26/1910, Hérode 3/26/1910, Athanaël 1/21/1911, 1/24/1911, Coppélius 2/4/1911, Dr. Miracle 2/4/1911, Dapertutto 2/4/1911, Coppélius 2/14/1911, Dr. Miracle 2/14/1911, Dapertutto 2/14/1911, Coppélius 2/20/1911, Dr. Miracle 2/20/1911, Dapertutto 2/20/1911, Rigoletto 2/24/1911, Boniface 3/6/1911, Il barone Scarpia 3/8/1911, Coppélius 3/10/1911, Dr. Miracle 3/10/1911, Dapertutto 3/10/1911, Boniface 3/14/1911, Nero 3/25/1911, Boniface 3/30/1911, Escamillo 2/13/1912, Coppélius / Dr. Miracle / Dapertutto 2/16/1912, Athanaël 2/21/1912, Le grand-prêtre de Dagon 2/26/1912, Boniface 2/27/1912, 2/28/1912, Coppélius 3/6/1912, Dapertutto 3/6/1912, Dr. Miracle 3/6/1912, Athanaël 3/12/1912 (Filadelfia)
TRACKLIST
1. Favorite (Donizetti): Viens Léonore 32076 711G G&T, Paris 1901
2. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 32077712G G&T, Paris 1901
3. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Jadis quand tu luttas 32078 713G G&T, Paris 1901
4. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile (Prière) 32079 714G G&T, Paris 1901
5. Le rondel de l'adieu (de Lara) 32080 715G G&T, Paris 1901
6. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir 32081 716G G&T, Paris 1901
7. Le soir (Gounod) 32082 717G G&T, Paris 1901
8. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d'amour 32083 718G G&T, Paris 1901
9. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pâle fleur 32084 719G G&T, Paris 1901
10. Carmen (Bizet): Air du Toréador 2-2705 2111b G&T, London 1902
11. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Sérénade 2-2713 2112b G&T, London 1902
12. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Romance de l'étoile 2-2702 2113b G&T, London 1902
13. Le chemin du ciel (Holmès) 2-2703 2114b G&T, London 1902
14. Noël Païen (Massenet) 2-2704 2116b G&T, London 1902
15. Carmen (Bizet) Air du toréador 3381 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
16. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Voici des roses 3383 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
17. Favorite (Donizetti) Viens Léonore 3385 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
18. Le soir (Gounod) 3384 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
19. Roi de Lahore (Massenet) Promesse de mon avenir 3382 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
20. Sigurd (Reyer) Et toi, Fréia 3386 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
21. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Romance de l'étoile 3387 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1903
22. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Du temps passé 032039 5715p G&T, Paris 1906
23. Le rondel de l'adieu (de Lara) 3-32669 5716o G&T, Paris 1906
24. Le chemin du ciel (Holmès) 3-32673 5717o G&T, Paris 1906
25. Africaine (Meyerbeer): Fille des rois 032040 5718p G&T, Paris 1906
26. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Vrai Dieu... Une puce gentille 3-32670 5727o G&T, Paris 1906
27. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 032041 5728p G&T, Paris 1906
28. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d'amour 032042 5729p G&T, Paris 1906
29. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pâle fleur 3-32674 5730o G&T, Paris 1906
30. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile (Prière) 3-32671 5731o G&T, Paris 1906
31. Tannhäuser (Wagner): O douce étoile 3-32675 5735o G&T, Paris 1906
32. Favorite (Donizetti): Léonore viens 032043 5736p G&T, Paris 1906
33. Carmen (Bizet): Votre toast 032044 5778p G&T, Paris 1906
34. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir 032045 5779p G&T, Paris 1906
35. Le soir (Gounod) 3-32672 5780o G&T, Paris 1906
36. Noël païen (Massenet) 3-32676 5786o G&T, Paris 1906
37. Plaisir d'amour (Martini) 032046 5801p G&T, Paris 1906
38. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032047 5802p G&T, Paris 1906
39. Don Giovanni (Mozart): Ah, viens à la fenêtre (Fr & It) 032051 6113p G&T, Paris 1906
40. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Devant la maison 3-32681 6116o G&T, Paris 1906
41. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032091 863i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
42. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d'amour 032092 864i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
43. Tannhäuser (Wagner): O douce étoile 032093 865i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
44. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Voici des roses 032094 870i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
45. Favorite (Donizetti): Léonore viens 032095 871i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
46. Hamlet (Thomas): Comme une pвle fleur 032096 872i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
47. Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Sois immobile 032099 873i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
48. Roi de Lahore (Massenet): Promesse de mon avenir (Arioso) 032098 874i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
49. Favorite (Donizetti): Pour tant d'amour 032092x 875i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
50. Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Petite Luison... Devant la maison 032100 876i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
51. Don Giovanni (Mozart): Ah, viens à ta fenêtre 032097 877i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15
52. Hérodiade (Massenet): Vision fugitive 032091x 878i Gramophone, Paris 1908-10-15