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Emma Calvé, born Rosa Emma Calvet (15 August 1858 – 6 January 1942) was a French
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
tic
dramatic soprano A dramatic soprano is a type of operatic soprano with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over, or cut through, a full orchestra. Thicker vocal folds in dramatic voices usually (but not always) mean less agility than lighter voices but a ...
. Calvé was probably the most famous French female opera singer of the
Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...
. Hers was an international career, and she sang regularly at the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
House, New York, and the
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...
, London.


Early life

Calvé was born on 15 August 1858 in Decazeville,
Aveyron Aveyron (; ) is a Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron (river), Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyro ...
. Her birth name was Rosa Emma Calvet. Her father, Justin Calvet, was a civil engineer. She spent her childhood at first in Spain with her parents, then in different convent schools in
Roquefort Roquefort () is a sheep milk blue cheese from southern France. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, European Union law, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the na ...
and Tournemire (Aveyron). After her parents separated, she moved with her mother to Paris. There she attempted to enter the
Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), or 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 Jean Ja ...
, while she studied singing under Jules Puget. She started learning music in Paris from Mathilde Marchesi, a retired German
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...
and Manuel García. She made a tour of Italy, where she saw the famous actress
Eleonora Duse Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse ( , ; 3 October 185821 April 1924), often known simply as Duse, was an Italian actress, rated by many as the greatest of her time. She performed in many countries, notably in the plays of Gabriele D'Annunzio and Henr ...
, whose impersonations made a deep impression on the young singer. She trained herself in stage craft and gesture by closely observing Duse's performances.


Career

She made her operatic debut on 23 September 1881 in
Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...
's ''
Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...
'' at Brussels' La Monnaie. Later she sang at
La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
in Milan, and also at the principal theatres of Naples, Rome, and Florence. Returning to Paris in 1891, she created the part of Suzel in '' L'amico Fritz'' by
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
, playing and singing the role later at Rome. Because of her great success in it, she was chosen to appear as Santuzza in the French premiere of ''
Cavalleria rusticana ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (; ) is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from an 1880 Cavalleria rusticana (short story), short story of the same name and subsequent ...
'', which was viewed as one of her greatest parts. She repeated her success in it in London. In 1892, she spent six months in Rome, studying under Domenico Mustafà, the last
castrato A castrato (Italian; : castrati) is a male singer who underwent castration before puberty in order to retain a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice can also occur in one who, due to an endocrino ...
head of the
Sistine Chapel Choir The Sistine Chapel Choir, as it is generally called in English, or officially the Coro della Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina in Italian, is the Pope's personal choir. It performs at papal functions in the Sistine Chapel and in any other chur ...
, adding half an octave to the top of her range. Her next triumph was Bizet's ''
Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...
''. Before beginning the study of this part, she went to Spain, learned the Spanish dances, mingled with the people and patterned her characterization after the cigarette girls whom she watched at their work and at play. In 1894, she made her appearance in the role at the Opéra-Comique, Paris. The city's opera-goers immediately hailed her as the greatest Carmen that had ever appeared, a verdict other cities would later echo. She had had many famous predecessors in the role, including
Adelina Patti Adelina Patti (19 February 184327 September 1919) was a Spanish-Italian opera singer. At the height of her career, she was earning huge fees performing in the music capitals of Europe and America. She first sang in public as a child in 1851, a ...
, Minnie Hauk and Célestine Galli-Marié, but critics and musicians agreed that in Calvé they had found their ideal of Bizet's cigarette girl of Seville. Calvé first appeared in America in the season of 1893–1894 as
Mignon ''Mignon'' () is an 1866 ''opéra comique'' (or opera in its second version) in three acts by Ambroise Thomas. The original French libretto was by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Goethe's 1795-96 novel '' Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre''. ...
. She would make regular visits to the country, both in grand opera and in concert tours. After making her
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
debut as Santuzza, she went on to appear a total of 261 times with the company between 1893 and 1904. She created the part of Anita, which was written for her, in Massenet's '' La Navarraise'' in London in 1894 and, in 1897, sang '' Sapho'' in an opera written by the same composer. One of her most critically acclaimed roles was Ophélie in
Ambroise Thomas Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas (; 5 August 1811 – 12 February 1896) was a French composer and teacher, best known for his operas ''Mignon'' (1866) and ''Hamlet (opera), Hamlet'' (1868). Born into a musical family, Thomas was a student at the C ...
's ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
''. She achieved particular success with it at the Metropolitan Opera in 1895, where one critic said that she was among the greatest Ophélies heard in New York since the days of
Christina Nilsson Christina Nilsson, Countess de Casa Miranda, also called Christine Nilsson (20 August 1843 – 22 November 1921) was a Swedish operatic dramatic coloratura soprano. Possessed of a pure and brilliant voice (B3-F6), first three then two and a ha ...
, the role's creator. She appeared with success in many roles, among them, as the Countess in ''
The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienn ...
'', the title role in Félicien David's '' Lalla-Roukh'', as Pamina in ''
The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (, ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It is a ''Singspiel'', a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on ...
'', and as Camille in Hérold's '' Zampa'', but she is best known as Carmen. Calvé's Metropolitan Opera career ended abruptly in 1904, as Irving Kolodin described in his book ''The Metropolitan Opera'' nopf 1968 She was to sing a group of Provençal songs at the Met's Sunday evening concert. Music director Felix Mottl was to accompany her at the piano. "As they were about to begin, she turned and asked him to transpose the music a tone lower. When he refused, she walked off the stage and out of the Metropolitan's history. When she reappeared in New York, it was with Hammerstein's company (1907)." Calvé developed an interest in the
paranormal Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...
and was once engaged to the
occult The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...
author Jules Bois. In the winter of 1893/1894 the Swiss-born American artist Adolfo Müller-Ury (1862–1947) executed a life-size portrait of her standing full-length in a green-blue dress, wearing an opera cloak of white and gold with a sable edge, clutching American Beauty roses. It is now lost, but a pastel he made of her in March 1894 has been discovered in a London private collection.


Later life

Calvé died on 6 January 1942 at
Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...
,
Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...
, and is buried in
Millau Millau (; ) is a commune in Occitania, France. Located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers, the town is a subprefecture of the Aveyron department. Millau is known for its Viaduct, glove industry and several nearby natural ...
. Her voice is preserved in a number of recordings made between 1902 and 1920. These are available on CD transfers.


Influences

While performing at
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
in 1894, Calvé's only daughter died in a fire accident. This tragic incident had a serious mental toll on her, as she contemplated suicide. It was in this period of intense grief that she met
Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda () (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindus, Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figu ...
, who prevented her from committing suicide and restored her back to her former cheerful form. Calvé had accompanied Vivekananda along with Miss Josephine MacLeod, Sir Francis Jules Bois and his wife and Sarah Bernhard while they travelled through Europe and Egypt from 1899 to 1901. Calvé wrote of
Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda () (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindus, Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figu ...
in her autobiography: " etruly walked with God, a noble being, a saint, a philosopher and a true friend. His influence upon my spiritual life was profound ... my soul will bear him eternal gratitude". She also visited
Belur Math Belur Math () is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located in Belur, West Bengal, India on the west bank of Hooghly River. Bel ...
, Swami Vivekananda's tribute to his guru Ramakrishna Paramahansa. She said of this visit and her association with the monks there: "The hours that I spent with these gentle philosophers have remained in my memory as a time apart. These beings – pure, beautiful and remote seemed to belong to another universe, a better and wiser world" Swami Vivekananda wrote of Calvé:
She was born poor but by her innate talents, prodigious labour and diligence, and after wrestling against much hardship, she is now enormously rich and commands respect from kings and emperors. ... The rare combination of beauty, youth, talents, and "divine" voice has assigned Calve the highest place among the singers of the West. There is, indeed, no better teacher than misery and poverty. That constant fight against the dire poverty, misery, and hardship of the days of her girlhood, which has led to her present triumph over them, has brought into her life a unique sympathy and a depth of thought with a wide outlook.


Works

*Calvé, Emma: ''My Life'', trans. Rosamond Gilder (New York, London: D. Appleton & Co, 1922). *Calvé, Emma: ''Sous Tous Les Ciels J’ai Chanté. . .'' (Paris: Librarie Plon, 1940) (I have sung under every sky—autobiography).


Chronological table

*1858 Birth of Rosa Emma Calvet in Decazeville. *1864 She attends a convent in Rodez. The sisters give some concerts where Mgr Bourret, bishop of this town appreciates her voice. *1874 Emma and her mother Léonie go up to Paris. Although they are short of money, Puget consents to give Emma lessons. *1882 Debut at the Brussels La Monnaie, as Marguerite in Charles Gounod's ''Faust''. Lessons by Mrs Marchesi, one of the most influential voice teachers of the era. *1882 end, Théodore Dubois' ''Aben Hamet'' in the Théâtre-Italien. 1883 She creates Victorin Joncières' ''Le Chevalier Jean'' in the Opéra-Comique. She sings in ''Zampa'' and ''Lalla-Roukh''. After a failure at the Scala, recommended by Gounod, she took lessons from Rosine Laborde. In Rome she took lessons from Domenico Mustafà (1829–1912). *1885 November, in Nice she sings the part of Leïla in Bizet's ''Les pêcheurs de perles'' with a grand success. She sings Halévy's '' L'éclair''. *1890 May, Milan. Triumph in the Scala with ''Hamlet''. *1890 She creates ''Cavalleria rusticana'' in Florence. She sings in Rome, then in Naples. *1891 November: French premiere of ''Cavalleria rusticana'' at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. *1892 Travel in Spain; November: great success in ''Carmen'' at the Opéra-Comique. *1893 ''Carmen'' in London's Covent Garden, and in Windsor by Queen Victoria. September: she leaves for the United States. ''Carmen'' in the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
in New York, then in Boston, Chicago and Montreal. *1894 July: she buys the medieval castle of Cabrières. *1895 October: she creates Massenet's ''La Navarraise'' in Paris; Tour in Russia: Saint Petersburg, performance in front of the tsar. *1896 November: creation of Massenet's ''Sapho'', with a libretto from a novel by
Alphonse Daudet Alphonse Daudet (; 13 May 184016 December 1897) was a French novelist. He was the husband of Julia Daudet and father of Edmée, Léon and Lucien Daudet. Early life Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the ' ...
. *1899–1900 Travel in Orient along with
Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda () (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindus, Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figu ...
*1902 She creates in the Opéra-Comique
Reynaldo Hahn Reynaldo Hahn de Echenagucia (9 August 1874 – 28 January 1947) was a Venezuelan-born French composer, conductor, music critic, and singer. He is best known for his songs – ''mélodies'' – of which he wrote more than 100. Hahn was born ...
's ''La Carmélite''. *1903 April:
Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...
's ''La Damnation de Faust''. *1904 October: in the Gaîté, Massenet's ''Hérodiade''. *1906 Germany and Austria *1910–1912 Travel around the world *1914 July: Berlin December: 4th tour in the United States *1915 USA *1916 Benefit concerts in Montpellier, Marseille, Toulon, Nice and
Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
, for the Red Cross. *1919 For the last time in the Opéra-Comique. English tour with tenor Vladimir Rosing and pianist
Arthur Rubinstein Arthur Rubinstein Order of the British Empire, KBE OMRI (; 28 January 1887 – 20 December 1982) was a Polish Americans, Polish-American pianist.
. *1920 She records for
Pathé Records Pathé Records was an international record company and label and producer of phonographs, based in France, and active from the 1890s through the 1930s. Early years The Pathé record business was founded by brothers Charles and Émile Pathé, ...
. *1922 Tour in England, Scotland and Ireland, with Alfred Cortot and Jacques Thibaud. *1925 5th tour in the USA. *1925 She retired from the stage. She returned in her beloved
Midi Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...
to teach, living in different houses in Millau and surroundings. *1942 6 January – dies in a clinic in Montpellier, aged 83.


Discography

*in ''Les Introuvables du Chant Français'' EMI, 2005; *''Emma Calve: the Complete Victor Recordings (1907–16)'', Romophone CD 81024–2.


References

Notes Bibliography *Contrucci, Jean: ''Emma Calvé, la diva du siècle'', Albin Michel 1989, *Girard, Georges: ''Emma Calvé : étoile dans tous les cieux, cigale sous tous les ciels'', Rodez : Cahiers rouergats, 1971; No de :"Les Cahiers rouergats", 1971, ISSN 0184-5365, n °5, 1971 *Girard, Georges: ''Emma Calvé, la cantatrice sous tous les ciels'', Éditions Grands Causses * * *Prévost, M.: ''Dictionnaire de biographie française'', vol. 7, Letouzey, 1956


External links


Liner notes from ''The Complete 1902 G&T, 1920 Pathé and "Mapleson Cylinder" Recordings''





Emma Calvé recordings
at the
Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...
. {{DEFAULTSORT:Calve, Emma 1858 births 1942 deaths People from Decazeville French operatic sopranos 19th-century French women opera singers 20th-century French women opera singers Belle Époque Knights of the Legion of Honour