Jean-François Berthelier

Jean-François-Philibert Berthelier (14 December 1830 – 29 September 1888) was a French actor and singer, who performed many light tenor roles in opéra-comique and opéra-bouffe.O’Connor P. 'Jean-François Berthelier' In : ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera''. Macmillan, London and New York, 1997.

Early career

Berthelier was born in Panissières, the son of a notary. At eleven he became an orphan and moved in with a foster family. He initially worked as an office clerk in a bookstore in Lyon, where on the side he appeared on stage as an extra at the Théâtre des Célestins. His fine voice was noticed, and he made his operatic debut as Fernando in ''La favorite'' at a small provincial theatre in Poitiers in 1849.Yon & Fraison 1996, p. 59. When that theatre closed, he moved to Paris, but after he was refused entry to the Conservatoire de Musique, he turned to singing in cafés-concerts, not without success. He also composed some songs under the pseudonym Berthel.

He was spotted by Jacques Offenbach and engaged in the inaugural company of the Bouffes-Parisiens, scoring a success in ''Les deux aveugles'', and going on to triumph in ''Une nuit blanche'' (as Paimpol), '' Le violoneux'' (Pierre) and '' Ba-ta-clan'' (Kokikako); he is sometimes credited with 'discovering' Hortense Schneider.

From 1856 to 1862, Berthelier was a member of the Opéra-Comique company, creating parts in ''Barkouf'' by Offenbach and in ''Maître Pathelin'' by François Bazin, before leaving to appear at the Palais-Royal in '' La Vie parisienne'' and at the Bouffes-Parisiens in ''Les bergers'', ''L'île de Tulipatan'', ''La princesse de Trébizonde'' and ''Boule-de-Neige''.

Later career

In 1879, he sang Bertrand in ''Les rendez-vous bourgeois'', Taboureau in the premiere of ''La petite mademoiselle'' at the Théâtre de la Renaissance, the title role in ''Gladiator'' and Dardembeuf in the revue ''Paris en actions'' at the Théâtre des Nouveautés. In 1882 he sang Moulinot in '' Fatinitza'', and the king in the premiere of '' Le coeur et la main'' at the Nouveautés,Noel E and Stoullig E. ''Les Annales du Théâtre et de la Musique, 8ème édition, 1882.'' G Charpentier et Cie, Paris, 1883. and at the same theatre in 1883 he appeared as Tancrède in '' Le droit d'aînesse'', Zug in ''Premier baiser'' and Tirechappe in ''Roi de carreau''. 1884 found Berthelier as Bricoli in ''L’oiseau bleu'', Karamatoff in ''Babolin'', Hercule III in ''La nuit aux soufflets'', and the Marquis de Valpointu in ''Le chateau de Tire-Larigot'', and in 1885 as Chiquito in the premiere of ''La vie mondaine'', Bardoulet in the premiere of ''Le petit chaperon rouge'' and in the revue ''Nouveautés de Paris''. In 1886, he was at the Nouveautés as Gavaudan in the premiere of ''Serment d’amour'', Satan in ''Adam et Eve'' and the seneschal in the premiere of ''Princesse Colombine''. Berthelier created Chaudillac in ''Dix jours aux Pyrénées'' at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, and Benoit in ''Ninon'' at the Nouveautés in 1887.

In one of the first French adaptations of ''Die Fledermaus'' (as ''Le tzigane''), he played Zappoli. Among other works in which he appeared are ''La veuve du Malabar'', ''Les cent vierges'', ''Le petit duc'', ''Le grand Mogol'', '' Les braconniers'', and ''La boulangère a des écus''.

Berthelier died in Paris.

References

Notes

Sources
* Kutsch, K. J. and Riemens, Leo (2003). ''Großes Sängerlexikon'' (fourth edition, in German). Munich: K. G. Saur. .
* Yon, Jean-Claude; Fraison, Laurent (1996). ''Offenbach'', catalog for an exposition at the Musée d'Orsay, 26 March to 23 June 1996. Paris: Réunion des musées nationaux. .

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Berthelier
1830 births
1888 deaths
French operatic tenors
French male stage actors
19th-century French male actors
19th-century French male opera singers
People from Loire (department)