Alain Vanzo was a French lyric tenor. He did not have an enormous voice, but he was a lyric tenor during a period when larger Italian and German vocal styles had become popular. A lyric French tenor is a tenor who is known for his light, bright, and warm timbre, often associated with French operatic repertoire. These tenors typically possess a smooth, agile voice with a romantic and soothing quality, suitable for lyrical and graceful roles. A lyric French tenor does not sing Wagner. I hope that you enjoy this post.
Massenet, Werther, “Pourquoi me réveiller?”
Pourquoi me réveiller,
ô souffle du printemps?
Pourquoi me réveiller?
Sur mon front je sens tes caresses,
et pourtant bien proche est le temps
des orages et des tristesses!
Pourquoi me réveiller,
ô souffle du printemps?
Demain dans le vallon
viendra le voyageur
se souvenant de ma gloire première.
Et ses yeux vainement
chercheront ma splendeur.
Ils ne trouveront plus que deuil
et que misère! Hélas!
Pourquoi me réveiller,
ô souffle du printemps!
Massenet, Werther, “Why awaken me?”
Why do you awaken me?
o breath of Spring?
Why do you awaken me?
On my brow I feel your caresses,
and yet very near is the time
of storms and sorrows!
Why do you awaken me,
o breath of Spring?
Tomorrow, into the valley
will come the traveller
remembering my early glory
And his eyes in vain
will look for my splendor.
They will find no more than mourning
and misery. Alas!
Why do you awaken me,
o breath of Spring!
Lalo, Le roi d’ys, “Vainement, me bien aimée”
Puisqu’on ne peut fléchir ces jalouses gardiennes
Ah ! Laissez-moi conter mes peines
Et mon émoi
Vainement, ma bien aimée,
On croit me désespérer :
Près de ta porte fermée.
Je veux encore demeurer !
Les soleils pourront s’éteindre,
Les nuits remplacer les jours,
Sans t’accuser et sans me plaindre,
Là je resterai toujours !
Je le sais, ton âme est douce,
Et l’heure bientôt viendra,
Où la main qui me repousse.
Vers la mienne se tendra!
Ne sois pas trop tardive
A te laisser attendrir !
Si Rozenn bientôt n’arrive,
Je vais, hélas mourir!
Lalo, The king of Ys”, “In vain, my beloved”
Since we can’t bend these jealous guards
Ah! Let me talk about my sorrows
And my emotion
In vain, my beloved,
do they think they can put me off:
close by your shut door
I am determined to stay!
The stars may fade,
nights replace days,
without blaming you and without complaining
I shall stay here forever!
I know what a sweet soul you are,
and the hour will soon come
when the hand which now pushes me away
will reach out towards mine!
Do not take too long
to allow yourself to melt;
If Rozenn does not appear soon,
Alas, I shall die!
Bellini, I Puritani, “A te, o cara, amor talora”
A te, o cara, amor talora
Mi guidò furtivo e in pianto;
Or mi guida a te d’accanto
Tra la gioia e l’esultar.
Ah, mio bene!
Ah, Elvira mia, sì, mia tu sei!
Al brillar di sì bell’ora,
Se rammento il mio tormento
Si raddoppia il mio contento,
M’è più caro il palpitar d’amor.
Bellini, The Puritans, “To you, oh dear one, love at times”
To you, oh dear one, love at times
Leads me secretly and in tears;
now it guides me to your side
Between joy and exaltation.
Ah, my love!
Ah, my Elvira, yes, you are mine!
At the radiance of such a beautiful hour
If I renew my torment,
It redoubles my happiness,
It is more dear than the heart’s beating
Donizetti, Lucrezia Borgia, “Di pescatore ignobile”
GENNARO
Di pescatore ignobile esser figliuol credei,
E seco oscuri in Napoli vissi i prim’ anni miei.
Quando un guerriero incognito venne
d’inganno e trarmi;
Mi diè cavallo ed armi,
E un foglio a me lasciò.
LUCREZIA
Ebben?
GENNARO
Era mia madre, ahi misera! mia madre
che scrivea…
Di rio possente vittima per sè, per me temea;
Di non parlar, nè chiedere il nome suo qual era
Calda mi fe’ preghiera,
Ed obbedita io l’ho.
Donizetti, Lucrezia Borgia, “The son of an ignobile fisherman”
GENNARO
The son of an ignoble fisherman I did believe;
with him I lived in Naples my first dark days.
When an unknown soldier came to reveal the truth;
giving me arms and horses
and a letter he left.
LUCREZIA
And so?
GENNARO
It was my mother, alas! My mother who wrote it.
Victim of a cruel powerful man,
she feared for herself and for me.
She bade me not to speak nor pronounce her name,
so fervent was her plea,
and I have obeyed her will.
Bizet, Les pêcheurs de perles, “Au fond du temple saint”
NADIR
Au fond du temple saint
Paré de fleurs et d’or,
Une femme apparaît!
Je crois la voir encore!
ZURGA
Une femme apparaît!
Je crois la voir encore!
NADIR
La foule prosternée
La regarde, etonnée,
Et murmure tous bas:
Voyez, c’est la déesse!
Qui dans l’ombre se dresse
Et vers nous tend les bras!
ZURGA
Son voile se soulève!
Ô vision! ô rêve!
La foule est à genoux!
NADIR et ZURGA
Oui, c’est elle!
C’est la déesse plus charmante et plus belle!
Oui, c’est elle!
C’est la déesse qui descend parmi nous!
Son voile se soulève et la foule est à genoux!
NADIR
Mais à travers la foule
Elle s’ouvre un passage!
ZURGA
Son long voile déjà
Nous cache son visage!
NADIR
Mon regard, hélas!
La cherche en vain!
ZURGA
Elle fuit!
NADIR
Elle fuit!
Mais dans mon âme soudain
Quelle étrange ardeur s’allume!
ZURGA
Quel feu nouveau me consume!
NADIR
Ta main repousse ma main!
ZURGA
Ta main repousse ma main!
NADIR
De nos cœurs l’amour s’empare
Et nous change en ennemis!
ZURGA
Non, que rien ne nous sépare!
NADIR
Non, rien!
ZURGA et NADIR
Jurons de rester amis!
Oh oui, jurons de rester amis!
Oui, c’est elle! C’est la déesse!
En ce jour qui vient nous unir,
Et fidèle à ma promesse,
Comme un frère je veux te chérir!
C’est elle, c’est la déesse
Qui vient en ce jour nous unir!
Oui, partageons le même sort,
Soyons unis jusqu’à la mort!
Bizet, The pearl fishers, “At the back of the holy temple”
NADIR
At the back of the holy temple,
decorated with flowers and gold,
a woman appears…
I can still see her.
ZURGA
A woman appears…
I can still see her.
NADIR
The prostrate crowd
looks at her amazed
and murmurs under its breath:
look, this is the goddess
looming up out of the shadow
and holding out her arms to us.
ZURGA
Her veil parts slightly;
what a vision, what a dream!
The crowd is kneeling.
TOGETHER
Yes, it is she, it is the goddess,
more charming and more beautiful;
yes, it is she, it is the goddess,
who has come down among us.
Her veil has parted,
and the crowd is kneeling.
NADIR
But through the crowd
she makes her way.
ZURGA
Already, her long veil
hides her face from us.
NADIR
My eyes, alas, seek her in vain.
ZURGA
She flees!
NADIR
She flees!
But what is this strange flame
which is suddenly kindled within my soul!
ZURGA
What unknown fire is destroying me!
NADIR
Your hand pushes mine away.
ZURGA
Your hand pushes mine away.
NADIR
Love takes our hearts by storm
and turns us into enemies.
ZURGA
No, let nothing part us!
NADIR
No, nothing!
ZURGA
Let us swear to remain friends!
NADIR
Let us swear to remain friends!
TOGETHER
Oh yes! Let us swear to remain friends!
We have seen her, she is the Godness
who today led you to me,
and from now I’ll keep you my promise,
close as brothers we shall be!
Great Godness, Heaven descended,
she today has led you to me!
Now we shall tread one single path,
never again to part till death!
Alain Vanzo
April 2, 1928 – January 27, 2002
With a light, agile voice and a sensitivity to the nuances of the French language, Vanzo epitomized for many people a flowering of the French vocal style in ”Werther” by Massenet and ”Faust” by Gounod. But he also sang many Italian roles.
Born in Monte Carlo, Fernand Albert Vanzo began singing as a boy soprano there and established his own music hall band at 18. His victory in a vocal competition in Cannes in 1954 paved his way to Paris debuts at the Opéra and the Opéra Comique.
Soon a star in France, Vanzo had a flourishing international career as well. He sang to great acclaim at most of the world’s major houses, from the Vienna State Opera to San Francisco. In 1973 he was one of five tenors invited to take part in celebrations of the Caruso centennial in Italy in the company of Mario del Monaco and Luciano Pavarotti.
Yet on the international circuit it was his fate to be overshadowed by illustrious colleagues and partners. In 1961 he made his Covent Garden debut as Edgardo in Donizetti’s ”Lucia di Lammermoor” opposite no less a Lucia than Joan Sutherland. His New York debut at Carnegie Hall in 1965 coincided with the American debut of the soprano who was singing ”Lucrezia Borgia” with him: Montserrat Caballé.
In America he had to compete with Alfredo Kraus and Nicolai Gedda. One result thereof was that his sole appearance on the Metropolitan Opera stage as Faust in 1977 was not with the Metropolitan Opera company but with the Paris Opéra.
His career is, however, well documented in recordings, including ”Lakmé” with Ms. Sutherland, ”Mireille” with Mirella Freni and ”Mignon” with Marilyn Horne. As he got older, he moved into slightly heavier parts like the title role in Berlioz’s ”Benvenuto Cellini.” . In 1985 at 57 he starred in the Paris Opéra’s historic revival of ”Robert le Diable” by Meyerbeer, which the company had not staged for some 90 years.
A sometime composer, Vanzo had an operetta and an opera staged in French houses. In October, at 73, he gave two concerts at commemorative events in his honor, one at the Opéra de Marseille and one in his hometown.