Duprez, Gilbert(-Louis)

Duprez, Gilbert(-Louis), French tenor and pedagogue; b. Paris, Dec. 6, 1806; d. there, Sept. 23,1896. He began his training in Paris at Choron’s Inst. de Musique Classique et Religieuse, then continued his studies with Rogat at the Cons. He made his operatic debut as Count Almaviva at Paris’s Odeon (1825); dissatisfied with his performance, he pursued further vocal training in Italy, where he became notably successful in Italian roles (1829–35); Donizetti chose him to create the role of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Naples, 1835). Returning to France, he was a principal member of the Paris Opera (1837–49), where he created a number of roles, including Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini (1838), Donizetti’s Polyeucte in Les Martyrs (1840), and Fernando in La Favorite (1840); retired from the stage in 1855. He taught at the Paris Cons. (1842–50) and founded his own vocal school (1853). His most famous pupil was Emma Albani. He wrote several operas and other works. He also publ. the methods L’Art du chant (Paris, 1845) and La Melodic, etudes complementaires vocales et dramatiques de I’Art du chant (Paris, 1846); he also publ. Souvenirs d’un chanteur (Paris, 1880) and Recreations de mon grand age (Paris, 1888). His wife, Alexandrine (nee Duperron) (b. Nantes, 1808; d. Brussels, Feb. 27, 1872), and daughter, Caroline (b. Florence, April 10, 1832; d. Pau, April 17, 1875), were also singers.

Bibliography

A. Elwart, D.: Sa vie artistique (Paris, 1838).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire