Simone Ballard

Simone Berthe Ballard (26 March 1895 – 8 October 1978) was a French operatic mezzo-soprano and contralto who sang leading roles, including premieres, at La Monnaie in Brussels.

Career Simone Ballard was born in Sannois, Paris. Both her parents were engaged at the Paris Opera, her father Louis Ballard as a bass from 1894 to 1897, while her mother, Berthe Bronville (born 6 March 1865 in Paris), made her debut as a soprano in the role of Alice in Meyerbeer's Robert le diable but gave up her career when she married in 1891. Her about 70 roles included Azucena in Verdi's Il trovatore, Dalila in Samson et Dalila by Saint-Saëns, and the title role in Massenet's Hérodiade.