Massol, Eugène Etienne Auguste
Massol, Eugène Etienne Auguste
Massol, Eugène Etienne Auguste, French baritone; b. Lodève, Aug. 23, 1802; d. Paris, Oct. 30, 1887. He received training at the Paris Cons. On Nov. 17, 1825, he made his operatic debut in the tenor role of Licinius in Spontini’s La vestale at the Paris Opéra. After singing secondary tenor roles, he turned with success to baritone roles in the mid-1830s. He created the role of Severus in Donizetti’s Les martyrs at the Opéra (April 10, 1840). In 1845 he went to Brussels, where he served as director of the Théâtre Royale de la Monnaie (1848–49). In 1846 he made his London debut at Drury Lane. From 1848 to 1850 he sang with the Royal Italian Opera at London’s Covent Garden. He was principal baritone of the Paris Opéra from 1850 to 1858. Massol was particularly admired for his portrayals of Alfonso in La favorite, Pietro in Masaniello, and De Nevers in Les Huguenots.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire