Jane Berbié

Jane Berbié (born 6 May 1931) is a French mezzo-soprano particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles.

Life and career

Berbié was born Jeanne Bergougne, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, France, and as a child was entered in various local singing competitions, winning a case of champagne at one in Canet-Plage for her rendition of airs of Escamillo and Basilio. She studied piano and voice at the Music Conservatory in Toulouse. On French television she appeared on 'L'Ecole des vedettes' where she was praised by Elvira Popescu. She sang Maffio Orsini at Carnegie Hall in New York, in the famous 1965 concert version of Lucrezia Borgia, opposite Montserrat Caballé as Lucrezia, and countryman Alain Vanzo as Gennaro.

Berbié was especially appreciated in Mozart roles, such as Cherubino in Nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, both Dorabella and Despina in Cosi fan tutte. She also won considerable acclaim in Rossini roles, singing Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Angelina in La Cenerentola, and Malcolm in La Donna del Lago. However, she was happy to play ensemble roles as well, such as a flower maiden in Parsifal or a Rhine maiden, citing the musical value of participating in these and the demands of the smallest part.

Berbié was also active as a teacher at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1983, where her pupils included Sophie Koch, and continued to sing actively into the 1990s.

Her recordings include works such as La Dame Blanche (under Soustrot), L'Enfrance Du Christ (Martinon), Benvenuto Cellini (Davis), L'Heure Espagnole (Maazel), Fra Diavolo (Soustrot), Così fan tutte (Solti), Le Nozze di Figaro (von Karajan) and Carmen (Prêtre, Solti).