Lubin, Germaine (Léontine Angélique)
Lubin, Germaine (Léontine Angélique)
Lubin, Germaine (Léontine Angélique), noted French soprano; b. Paris, Feb. 1, 1890; d. there, Oct. 27, 1979. She studied at the Paris Cons. (1909–12) and with F. Litvinne and Lilli Lehmann. She made her debut at the Paris Opéra-Comique in 1912 as Antonio in Les Contes d’Hoffmann.In 1914 she joined the Paris Opéra, remaining on its roster until 1944; also appeared at London’s Covent Garden (1937, 1939); in 1938 she became the first French singer to appear at Bayreuth, gaining considerable acclaim for her Wagnerian roles. She continued her career in Paris during the German occupation and was briefly under arrest after the liberation of Paris in 1944, charged with collaboration with the enemy; she was imprisoned for 3 years. After her release, she taught voice. Her most distinguished roles included Alceste, Ariane, Isolde, Kundry, Donna Anna, Leonore, Brünnhilde, Sieglinde, and the Marschallin.
Bibliography
N. Casanov, Isolde 39—G. L.(Paris, 1974).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire