Léon Achard (16 February 1831 – 10 July 1905) was a French

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

Biography

Born in Lyon, Achard was the son of , modest

canut The canuts () were Lyonnais silk workers, often working on Jacquard looms. They were primarily found in the Croix-Rousse neighbourhood of Lyon in the 19th century. Although the term generally refers to Lyonnais silk workers, silk workers in the ...

became an artist who has distinguished himself in the world of theatre. He studied at a major Parisian high school, Louis-le-Grand or Henri IV, and then went on to study law. After completing his law studies, Achard entered a lawyer's office, while taking courses at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

. After one year, he was awarded the First Prizes in singing and

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular '' opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent (and to a l ...

. Subsequently, Achard was hired by the Théâtre-Lyrique, then directed by

Léon Carvalho Léon Carvalho (18 January 1825 – 29 December 1897) was a French impresario and stage director. Biography Born Léon Carvaille in Port Louis, British Mauritius, he came to France at an early age. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and sa ...

. There he interpreted Tobias, alongside Pauline Lauters, in ''Le Billet de Marguerite'' by Gevaert, play premiered on 7 October 1854..

References

Bibliography

* . {{DEFAULTSORT:Achard, Léon 1831 births Musicians from Lyon 1905 deaths Conservatoire de Paris alumni French operatic tenors 19th-century French male opera singers Burials at Montmartre Cemetery