There is not a lot of information about Maria Duchêne on the internet, but there are recordings of her. What there is to note is a large voice that is resonant from her lowest register to her highest. She had wonderful legato and a consistent sound. I am posting a scene from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila, with Samson sung by César Vezzani. I hope that you enjoy it.
Saint-Saëns, Samson et Dalila, Act II, scene 3
SAMSON
En ces lieux, malgré moi, m’ont ramené mes pas.
Je voudrais fuir, hélas! et ne puis pas.
Je maudis mon amour.. . et pourtant j’aime encore.
Fuyons, fuyons ces lieux que ma faiblesse adore!
DALILA
s’élance vers Samson
C’est toi, mon bien-aimé! j’attendais ta présence!
J’oublie, en te voyant, des heures de souffrance!
Salut! salut! ô mon doux maître!
SAMSON
Arrête ces transports!
Je ne puis t’écouter sans honte et sans remords!
DALILA
Samson! ô toi! mon bien-aimé,
Pourquoi repousser ma tendresse?
Pourquoi, de mon front parfumé,
Pourquoi détourner tes caresses?
SAMSON
Tu fus toujours chère à mon cour,
Et tu n’en peux être bannie!
J’aurais voulu donner ma vie
A l’amour qui fit mon bonheur!
DALILA
Près de moi pourquoi ces alarmes?
Aurais-tu douté demon cour?
N’es-tu pas mon maître et seigneur?
L’amour a-t-il perdu ses charmes?
SAMSON
Hélas! esclave de mon Dieu,
Je subis sa volonté sainte;
Il faut, par un dernier adieu,
Rompre sans murmure et sans crainte
Le doux lien de notre amour.
D’Israël renaît l’espérance.
Le Seigneur a marqué le jour
Qui verra notre délivrance!
II a dit à son serviteur:
Je t’ai choisi parmi tes frères,
Pour les guider vers le Seigneur
Et mettre un terme à leurs misères.
DALILA
Qu’importe à mon cour désolé
Le sort d’Israël et sa gloire!
Pour moi le bonheur envolé
Est le seul fruit de ta victoire.
L’amour égarait ma raison
Quand je croyais à tes promesses,
Et je n’ai bu que le poison
En m’enivrant de tes caresses.
SAMSON
Ah! cesse d’affliger mon coeur!
Je subis une loi suprême.
Tes pleurs ravivent ma douleur!
Dalila! Dalila! je t’aime!
Eclairs lointains
DALILA
Un dieu plus puissant que le tien,
Ami, te parle par ma bouche:
C’est le dieu d’amour, c’est le mien!
Et, si ce souvenir te touche,
Rappelle à ton cour ces beaux jours
Passés aux genoux d’une amante
Que tu devais aimer toujours,
Et qui seule, hélas! est constante!
SAMSON
Insensée! oser m’accuser!
Quand pour toi tout parle à mon âme!
Oui! dût la foudre m’écraser,
Dussé-je périr de sa flamme,
Eclairs plus rapprochés
Pour toi si grand est mon amour,
Que j’ose aimer malgré Dieu même!
Oui! dussé-je en mourir un jour,
Dalila! Dalila! je t’aime!
DALILA
Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix comme s’ouvrent les fleurs
Aux baisers de l’aurore!
Mais, ô mon bien-aimé, pour mieux sécher mes pleurs,
Que ta voix parle encore!
Dis-moi qu’à Dalila tu reviens pour jamais!
Redis à ma tendresse
Les serments d’autrefois, ces serments que j’aimais!
Ah! réponds à ma tendresse,
Verse-moi, verse-moi l’ivresse!
Réponds à ma tendresse.
Ah! verse-moi, verse-moi l’ivresse!
SAMSON
Dalila! Dalila! je t’aime!
DALILA
Ainsi qu’on voit des blés les épis onduler
Sous la brise légère,
Ainsi frémit mon cour, prêt à se consoler,
A ta voix qui m’est chère!
La flèche est moins rapide à porter le trépas
Que ne l’est ton amante à voler dans tes bras!
Ah! réponds à ma tendresse!
Verse-moi, verse-moi l’ivresse!
SAMSON
Par mes baisers je veux sécher tes larmes,
Et de ton coeur éloigner les alarmes!
Dalila! Dalila! je t’aime!
Eclair – Violent coup de tonnerre
DALILA
Mais! non! que dis-je? hélas! la triste Dalila
Doute de tes paroles!
Egarant ma raison,
Tu me trompas déjà par des serments frivoles!
SAMSON
Quand pour toi j’ose oublier Dieu,
Sa gloire, mon peuple et mon voeu!
Ce Dieu qui marqua ma naissance
Du sceau divin de sa puissance!
DALILA
Eh bien! connais donc mon amour!
C’est ton Dieu même que j’envie!
Ce Dieu qui te donna le jour,
Ce Dieu qui consacra ta vie!
Le voeu qui t’enchaîne à ce Dieu
Et qui fait ton bras redoutable,
A mon amour fais-en l’aveu!
Chasse le doute qui m’accable!
Eclairs et tonnerre lointains
SAMSON
Dalila! que veux-tu de moi?
Crains que je ne doute de toi!
DALILA
Si j’ai conservé ma puissance,
Je veux l’essayer en ce jour.
Je veux éprouver ton amour,
En réclamant ta confiance!
Eclairs et tonnerre de plus en plus rapprochés
SAMSON
Hélas! qu’importe à ton bonheur
Le lien sacré qui m’enchaîne,
Ce secret que garde mon cour?
DALILA
Par cet aveu soulage ma douleur!
SAMSON
Pour le ravir, ta force est vaine!
Eclairs sans tonnerre
DALILA
Oui! vain est mon pouvoir,
Car vaine est ta tendresse!
Quand je veux le savoir,
Ce secret qui me blesse,
Dont je veux la moitié,
Oses-tu dans ton âme
Sans honte et sans pitié,
M’accuser d’être infâme?
SAMSON
D’une immense douleur
Ma pauvre âme accablée
Implore le Seigneur
D’une voix désolée.
DALILA
J’avais paré pour lui
Ma jeunesse et mes charmes!
Je n’ai plus aujourd’hui
Qu’à répandre des larmes.
SAMSON
Dieu tout-puissant,
J’invoque ton appui!
DALILA
Pour ces derniers adieux
Ma voix est impuissante.
Fuis! Samson, fuis ces lieux
Où mourra ton amante!
SAMSON
Laisse-moi!
DALILA
Ton secret?
SAMSON
Je ne puis!
DALILA
Ton secret?
Ce secret qui cause mes alarmes!
Eclairs sans tonnerre.
SAMSON
L’orage sur ces monts
Déchaîne sa colère.
Le Seigneur sur nos fronts
Fait gronder son tonnerre.
DALILA
Je le brave avec toi!
Viens!
SAMSON
Non!
DALILA
Viens!
SAMSON
Laisse-moi!
Je ne puis m’y résoudre…
DALILA
Que m’importe la foudre!
SAMSON
C’est la voix de mon Dieu.
DALILA
Lâche! coeur sans amour,
Je te méprise. Adieu!
Saint-Saëns, Samson and Delilah, Act 2, scene 3
Samson:
In spite of my will, my steps have led me
back here. I long to escape, but I cannot!
I curse my love for her, and yet I still love
her. I am helpless and cannot flee from this
woman whom I adore!
Delilah:
It is you, my beloved!
I have been waiting for you!
Now I can forget all the hours of suffering!
Welcome, my sweet master!
Samson:
No more!
I cannot listen to you without feeling shame and remorse!
Delilah:
My beloved Samson, why do you shun my affections?
Why do you withhold your caresses from my perfumed countenance?
Samson:
You were always dear to my heart, and my
heart cannot banish you!
I would gladly have given my life for a love
that offered such rapture!
Delilah:
Why such fears when you are with me?
Do you doubt my heart?
Are you not my lord and master?
Has my love for you lost its charm?
Samson:
I am a servant to my God; I submit to His
holy will. This must be our final farewell,
because I must break the sweet bonds of
love without sighs or regrets.
Israel’s hope is reborn!
The Lord has ordained the day of our
deliverance!
He has said to His servant:
“I have chosen you among your brothers to
lead them to the Lord and put an end to their
suffering!”
Delilah:
Israel’s glory means nothing to my despairing heart!
For me, your victory signals the end of my happiness.
My reason was clouded by love, and I
believed your promises, and your caresses
have intoxicated me like a poison!
Samson:
Do not cause me more anguish!
I obey a supreme law; your tears revive my
sorrow!
Delilah! I love you!
Delilah:
A mightier god than yours speaks to you
through me; it is the god of love; it is my god!
If memory still moves you, then remember
the happy days spent in the arms of your
lover, who you promised to love forever!
But now, I am alone, yet faithful to you!
Samson:
You are insensitive and dare to accuse me!
My whole being longs for you!
It is true! Let a thunderbolt strike me!
Let me perish in its flame!
My love for you is great, greater than my
love for God himself!
Yes! Even though one day it may cause my
death, Delilah, I love you!
Delilah:
My heart opens to your voice as a flower
opens to the kiss of dawn!
My beloved, let your loving words dry my
tears by speaking of love!
Say that you are returning to Delilah forever!
Repeat those tender vows that you made
long ago!
Surrender to my tenderness!
Fill me with ecstasy!
Samson:
Delilah! Delilah! I love you!
Delilah:
My heart trembles like the wheat trembling
in the gentle breeze, longing for your voice
to comfort me!
The arrow is swift to carry death, but your
lover is even swifter to fly into your arms!
Surrender to my tenderness!
Fill me with ecstasy!
Samson:
My sweet caresses will dry your tears and
extinguish fear from your heart.
Delilah! I love you!
Delilah:
But no! The dream ends!
Your unhappy Delilah still has doubts!
You deceived me before with your false
promises!
Samson:
For you, I have dared to forget God, His
glory, my people, and my vow!
The God who marked my birth with the holy
seal of His power!
Delilah:
Well! Then understand the extent of my love!
I am jealous of this god of yours!
The god who gave you life; the god who
consecrated your life!
What vow binds you to your god and gives
you such strength? Confide in me and end
the doubt that is torturing me!
Samson:
Delilah, what do you want of me?
Remember that I do not doubt you!
Delilah:
I want to test my power over you today!
I want you to prove your love by taking me
into your confidence!
Samson:
Why should my sacred vow concern you?
I keep that secret deep in my heart.
Delilah:
Share it with me and ease my anxiety!
Samson:
You cannot wrest it from me even by force!
Delilah:
Yes, my love has no power over you; your
devotion is empty!
You dare to treat me so harshly; your secret
wounds me, so share it with me and do not
suspect me of treachery!
Samson:
My heart is burdened and tortured;
In my loneliness, I call upon the Lord!
Delilah:
I gave you my youth and my beauty!
Now nothing is left but my tears!
Samson:
Almighty God, I beg Your help!
Delilah:
I am powerless, so this must be our final
farewell!
Flee, Samson, for here your lover shall
perish!
Samson:
Leave me!
Delilah:
Tell me your secret!
Samson:
I cannot!
Delilah:
Tell me your secret and calm my fears!
Samson:
The storm is unleashing its fury!
The Lord’s thunder is crashing above our
heads!
Delilah:
I will face the storm with you! Tell me!
Samson:
No!
Delilah:
Tell me!
Samson:
Leave me!
Delilah:
Defy his wrath!
Samson:
That thunder is the voice of my God!
Delilah:
Coward! Heartless man!
I despise you! Farewell!
Maria Duchêne
December 5, 1883 – April 2, 1947)
This information is take from Wikipedia
Maria Duchêne-Billiard was a French contralto of the Metropolitan Opera from 1912 to 1916. She portrayed such roles as Amneris in Aida, Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann, Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, Maddalena in Rigoletto. She sang the role of the Old Woman in L’amore dei tre re, Rosette in Manon, Schwertleite in Die Walküre, and the Solo Madrigalist in Manon Lescaut among others.
Duchêne was born in France and arrived in the United States in 1907 at the age of 23, already calling herself an “artiste”. In 1910, she created the role of Adah in Naughty Marietta on Broadway.
She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 16 March 1912 as La Cieca in Amilcare Ponchielli’s La Gioconda with Emmy Destinn in the title role, Enrico Caruso as Enzo, and Arturo Toscanini conducting. She appeared in the American premiere of Boris Godunov as the Nurse in 1912 with Toscanini conducting. On 12 March 1913 she was to sing the role of Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffmann when she fainted; her role was taken over by Madame Fremsted, who had sung the role when it premiered in the United States.
With the company she notably portrayed the role of the Peasant Woman in the United States premiere of Gustave Charpentier’s Julien on 26 February 1914. Her mother, Elizabeth Duchêne (1859–1915) died in 1915 of pneumonia just as Duchêne was about to take the stage as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana.
Her final and 166th performance with the Met was as Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera in an out-of-town performance at the Boston Opera House on 18 April 1916.
On 7 October 1926, she married André Dumont (1896–1942), a French harmonium maker at Les Andelys. On 11 August 1937, they divorced.