I seem to be lost in France these days. Here is a really good French, lyric tenor. The voice is bright, which is not the trend today. Today’s aesthetic is over-darkened voices that don’t carry. I prefer voices that are free, and these types of voices tend to carry better in opera houses. Cadiou’s sings on the breath; that is, his voice is free of tension from the swallowing muscles and the throat. Please enjoy.
Massenet, Manon, “En ferment les yeux”
Instant charmant
Où la crainte fait trêve,
Où nous sommes deux seulement!…
Tiens,Manon, en marchant, je viens de faire un rêve…
En fermant les yeux je vois…
Là-bas… une humble retraite,
Une maisonnette
Toute blanche au fond des bois!
Sous ses tranquilles ombrages
Les clairs et joyeux ruisseaux,
Où se mirent les feuillages,
Chantent avec les oiseaux!
C’est le paradis!… Oh! non!…
Tout est là triste et morose,
Car il y manque une chose:
Il y faut encor Manon!…
Non!… Là sera notre vie,
Si tu le veux, ô Manon!…
Massenet, Manon, “Upon closing my eyes”
A charming moment
Where fear takes a break,
Where it’s just the two of us!…
Listen, Manon, as we were walking, I had a dream…
When I close my eyes, I see…
Over there… a humble retreat,
A little house
All white, deep in the woods!
Under its peaceful shade
The clear and joyful streams,
Where the foliage is reflected,
Sing with the birds!
It’s paradise!… Oh no!…
Everything there is sad and gloomy,
Because one thing is missing:
Manon is still needed there!…
No!… That will be our life,
If you want it, oh Manon!…
Bizet, Les pêcheurs de perls, “Je crois entendre encore”
NADIR
À cette voix quel trouble agitait tout mon être?
Quel fol espoir? Comment ai-je cru reconnaître?
Hélas! devant mes yeux déjà, pauvre insensé,
La même vision tant de fois a passé!
Non, non, c’est le remords, la fièvre, la délire!
Zurga doit tout savoir, j’aurais tout lui dire!
Parjure à mon serment, j’ai voulu la revoir!
J’ai decouvert sa trace, et j’ai suivi ses pas!
Et caché dans la nuit et soupirant tout bas,
J’écoutais ses doux chants emportés dans l’espace.
Romance
Je crois entendre encore,
Caché sous les palmiers,
Sa voix tendre et sonore
Comme un chant de ramier!
O nuit enchanteresse!
Divin ravissement!
O souvenir charmant!
Folle ivresse! doux rêve!
Aux clartés des étoiles,
Je crois encore la voir,
Entr’ouvrir ses longs voiles
Aux vents tièdes du soir!
O nuit enchanteresse! etc.
Charmant souvenir!
Bizet, The Pearl Fishers, “Nadir’s Romance”
NADIR
What a turmoil within my whole being, at the sound of her voice!
What mad hope is this! How could I think I had recognized?…
Alas, before my poor insane eyes, already,
this same vision has too often floated by.
No, no, this is remorse, fever, madness!
Zurga must know everything! I should have told him all!
Breaking my troth, I tried to see her again;
I discovered her trail and I followed her;
hidden in the night and sighing under my breath,
I listened to her sweet chants borne away into space…
I think I can still hear,
hidden under the palm-trees,
her tender and sonorous voice
singing like a dove’s.
O bewitching night,
exquisite rapture,
O delightful memory,
mad elation, sweet dream!
Under the light of the stars
I can almost see her
slightly opening her long veils
to the tepid evening breeze.
O bewitching night, etc.
Gounod, Roméo et Juliette, “Ah, lève-toi soleil”
L’amour! Oui son ardeur a troublé tout mon être!
Mais quelle soudaine clarté resplendit à cette fenêtre?
C’est là que dans la nuit rayonne sa beauté
Ah! lève-toi soleil! Fait pâlir les étoiles
qui dans l’azur sans voiles, brillent au firmament.
Ah! lève-toi! Parais! astre pur et charmant!
Elle rêve, elle dénoue une boucle de cheveux
qui vient caresser sa joue.
Amour! Amour! porte-lui mes voeux!
Elle parle! Qu’elle est belle!
Ah! Je n’ai rien entendu!
Mais ses yeux parlent pour elle!
Et mon coeur a répondu!
Ah! léve-toi, soleil! . . .
Gounod, Roméo et Juliette, “Ah, sun arise!”
Love! yes, its burning has troubled all my being!
But what sudden light shines at that window?
It is there that her beauty shines in the night.
Ah! Sun arise! Make the stars pale,
which shine in the unclouded blue of the firmament.
Ah! Arise! Appear! Pure and charming star!
She dreams, she unties a lock of hair
that caresses her cheek.
Love! Love! Bring her my greetings!
She speaks! How beautiful she is!
Ah! I heard nothing!
But her eyes speak for her!
And my heart has answered!
Ah! Arise, sun! . . .
Gounod, Le médecin malgré lui, “Est-on sage dans le bel âge”
Est-on sage dans le bel âge
Est-on sage de n’aimer pas
Est-on sage dans le bel âge
Est-on sage de n’aimer pas
Que sans cesse l’on s’empresse
De goûter les plaisirs ici-bas
La sagesse de la jeunesse
Est de savoir jouir de ses appas.
L’amour charme ceux qu’il désarme
L’amour charme cédons-lui tous
Notre peine serait vaine de vouloir
Résister à ses coups
Quelque chaîne qu’un amant prenne
La liberté n’a rien qui soit si doux
Gounod, The reluctant doctor, “Is it wise?”
Is it wise in the prime of life
Is it wise not to love
Is it wise in the prime of life
Is it wise not to love
That we constantly rush
To enjoy the pleasures of this world
The wisdom of youth
Is knowing how to enjoy its charms.
Love charms those it disarms
Love charms, let us all surrender to it
Our efforts to resist its blows
Would be in vain
Whatever chains a lover takes on
Freedom has nothing that is so sweet
Michel Cadiou
April 27, 1931 – February 2015.
Cadiou worked in a metal plant before studying voice at the Conservatoire National in Paris with Jean Claverie and Roger Bourdin. He made his debut in 1958 in Vals-les-Bains as Vincent. The same year, he joined the Opéra-Comique, where he made his debut again as Vincent. From 1959 also at the Paris Opéra (debut role: Italienischer Sänger in Rosenkavalier).
Cadiou sang at the two large Paris opera theaters into the 1970s: lyrical parts like Alfredo, Duca, Almaviva, Wilhelm Meister, Pinkerton, Gérald, Jacquino, and increasingly comprimario parts. Guest appearances in Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Liège, Lisbon, Barcelona and Palermo.
In the 1980s, he sang operetta in Paris and in the French provinces.