Mathilde Auguez (photo from the Nadar workshop, 1875–1895).

Pauline Mathilde Lucie Auguez de Montalant (28 March 1868 – 18 July 1955) was a French opera singer (light soprano).

Biography

Training

Auguez was born in Amiens. Her father, Auguste Jules Arsène, was employed by the railway. As a student at the Conservatoire de Paris, she received a third medal for solfège in 1885, a first prize for opéra comique in 1886, a second singing prize in 1887 and a second prize for opéra comique in 1887.[1]

Mathide Auguez as Isabelle in the opera comique Turlupin (album from the Nadar workshop. Vol. 31)

Career

Her stage debut was in 1887 at the Opéra-Comique.[2] Her first important role, on 29 March 1888, was at that theatre in Madame Turlupin,[3] an opéra comique by Ernest Guiraud, in which she played Isabelle. She then sang in le Baiser de Suzon[4] by Herman Bemberg (premiere, role of Suzon); in Gounod's Mireille and Maillard's Les dragons de Villars. On 30 January 1889, she premiered Louis Varney's la Vénus d'Arles at the Théâtre des Nouveautés.[5] On 11 December 1891, at the Théâtre des Variétés, she was Denise de Flavigny in Hervé's Mam'zelle Nitouche. Later at the Variétés, she played in Offenbach's les Brigands.

In 1894, she gave a song recital at la Bodinière, which earned her this comment in la Caricature:

The divine Romance was dead! when fortunately, in the year of grace 1894, Miss Mathilde Auguez, granddaughter of Loïsa Puget, and Mr. Cooper, grandson of Pierre-Jean Garat, raised it up again.[6]

Her performances were frequently acclaimed by critics. For example, the Journal amusant wrote in 1910:

Auguez de Montalant, who possesses to the supreme degree the science of singing, sang the Panis Angelicus and the Great Air of Redemption wonderfully. It was a great success, as usual. The voice is pure, clear, well timbred, excellent articulation, and Miss Auguez de Montlant also charms the audience with a style and knowledge of very rare nuances nowadays.[7]

On 10 March 1898, she married journalist and playwright Henri Lavedan.[8] Auguez died on 18 July 1955 at her home in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.[9] She is buried with her husband and their daughter Geneviève at Père-Lachaise Cemetery.[10]

Mathilde Auguez and Albert Piccaluga in la Vénus d'Arles, Nadar workshop.

References

  1. ↑ Jules Martin (1895). Nos artistes; portraits et biographies suivis d'une notice sur les droits d'auteurs, l'Opéra, la Comédie-Française, les Associations artistiques (in French). Paris: Librairie de l’Annuaire universel. p. 19.
  2. ↑ "Mathilde AUGUEZ". artlyrique.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  3. ↑ Madame Turlupin on BnF
  4. ↑ le Baiser de Suzon on BnF
  5. ↑ la Vénus d'Arles on BnF
  6. ↑ Godefroy (24 February 1894). "Ah ǃ La romance". La Caricature: Publication de la Librairie illustrée (in French). p. 1.
  7. ↑ "Chronique musicale". Journal amusant: Journal illustré, journal d'images, journal comique, critique, satirique, etc. (in French). No. 596. 26 November 1910. p. 14.
  8. ↑ Archives de Paris 8th, acte de mariage #215, year 1898 (view 22/31)
  9. ↑ Archives de Paris 6th, death act #622, year 1955 (view 3/31)
  10. ↑ Bauer, Paul (2006). Deux siècles d'histoire au Père Lachaise (in French). Paris: Mémoire et Documents. p. 482. ISBN 978-2914611480..
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