Victor Maurel

Victor Maurel (17 June 184822 October 1923) was a French baritone who enjoyed an international reputation in opera. He sang in opera houses in Paris and London, Milan, Moscow, New York, St Petersburg and many other venues. He was particularly associated with the operas of Verdi and created leading characters in the premieres of the composer's final operas, as Iago in Otello and in the title role of Falstaff (1893). He was also known for his portrayal of Mozart's Don Giovanni, and won Wagner's praise for his performances in Lohengrin, Tannhäuser and Der fliegende Holländer. After retiring from the stage he taught singing in Paris, London and New York.

Biography Maurel was born in Marseille on 17 June 1848. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Daniel Auber, with Charles-François Duvernoy and Eugène Vauthrot as his main teachers. Among his fellow students were Victor Capoul and Pierre Gailhard, and according to Le Figaro the three made the Conservatoire "resound with a picaresque tumult of adventures, jokes and vocal triumphs with which all the chronicles of Paris vibrated for thirty years". In addition to his escapades, Maurel won first prizes for singing and opera.

He made his début in Marseille (1867) in Guillaume Tell, and the following year appeared at the Paris Opéra as de Nevers in Les Huguenots, the Count di Luna in Il trovatore and roles in L’Africaine and La favorite. At the Opéra Jean-Baptiste Faure was established as the leading baritone, and Maurel decided to pursue his career abroad. He left the Opéra in 1869 and appeared in opera houses in Cairo, London, Moscow, New York St Petersburg and Milan, where he took part in the world premiere of Gomes' Il Guarany. In New York he sang Amonasro in the first American production of Aida (1873). – in the title role for the first performance of Falstaff (1893), both at La Scala. The Milan company took Falstaff on a European tour, but with the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War still an affront to French national pride, Maurel refused go with the company to Berlin. Between the two Verdi premieres Maurel created the role of Tonio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci at the Teatro Dal Verme, Milan (1892).

Maurel's antipathy to Germany did not extent to its music. He was much impressed by Wagner's operas,

According to Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Maurel was outstanding not so much for the timbre or resonance of his voice as for his perfect breath control and skill as an actor.

Maurel returned to the Metropolitan Opera in 1894–1896 and 1898–99 and after retiring from performing he designed its production of Gounod’s Mireille (1919). For a time he had an opera studio in London, and from 1909 until his death he taught in New York. He wrote books on singing and opera staging, including (1892), (1893), (1897), and memoirs, (1897).

Maurel was married to Frédérique Rosine de Grésac, a well-known writer who used the pen-name Fred de Gresac. In about 1909 they moved to New York, where Maurel died on 22 October 1923 at the age of 75.

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