Monday, August 15, 2011

From the Vault: Henri Legay Sings French Opera Arias

“Henri Legay was a French operatic tenor, primarily French-based as his light lyric voice was especially suited to the French operatic repertoire. Born in Paris, he won First Prize at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1947, and began his career singing operetta. He made his operatic début at La Monnaie in Brussels in 1950, also appearing in Lausanne. He began a long association with the Opéra-Comique in 1952, as Gérald in Lakmé, quickly establishing himself as one of the leading tenors of his time. He left a few recordings, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Le Roi d'Ys, and most notably Manon, opposite Victoria de los Ángeles and conducted by Pierre Monteux, widely regarded as the definitive recording of Massenet's opera. Along with such early twentieth century tenors as David Devries, Georges Thill and Léopold Simoneau, Legay represented a lost style of French operatic singing.” [Source]

"Vainement, ma bien-aimée" from Le Roi d'Ys by Édouard Lalo

Purchase a rare CD of arias by this great tenor by clicking here. CD contents after the jump.