Mathilde Auguez

{{short description|French soprano}}

File:Mathilde Auguez, chanteruse à l'Opéra-Comique.jpg

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.{{Cite book|language=fr|author1=Jules Martin|title=Nos artistes; portraits et biographies suivis d'une notice sur les droits d'auteurs, l'Opéra, la Comédie-Française, les Associations artistiques|page=19|location=Paris|publisher=Librairie de l’Annuaire universel|date=1895}}

File:Mathide Auguez dans l'opéra comique Turlupin.jpg

= Career =

Her stage debut was in 1887 at the Opéra-Comique.{{Cite web|language= fr|title=Mathilde AUGUEZ|url=https://www.artlyriquefr.fr/personnages/Auguez%20Mathilde.html| website=artlyrique.fr| accessdate = 19 January 2019}} Her first important role, on 29 March 1888, was at that theatre in Madame Turlupin,[https://data.bnf.fr/42148943/madame_turlupin_spectacle_1872/ Madame Turlupin] on BnF an opéra comique by Ernest Guiraud, in which she played Isabelle. She then sang in le Baiser de Suzon[https://data.bnf.fr/fr/17139234/hermann_bemberg_le_baiser_de_suzon/ le Baiser de Suzon] on BnF 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.[https://data.bnf.fr/fr/14852148/georges_bull_fantaisies__piano__la_venus_d_arles__varney__louis la Vénus d'Arles] on BnF 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: {{Citation bloc|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.{{Cite news|language=fr|author1=Godefroy|title=Ah ǃ La romance|journal=La Caricature: Publication de la Librairie illustrée|date=24 February 1894| url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5703853h|pages=1}}}}

Her performances were frequently acclaimed by critics. For example, the Journal amusant wrote in 1910: {{Citation bloc|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.{{Cite news| language=fr|title=Chronique musicale|journal= Journal amusant: Journal illustré, journal d'images, journal comique, critique, satirique, etc.|date=26 November 1910|issue=596|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k54967830/f14|page=14}}}}

On 10 March 1898, she married journalist and playwright Henri Lavedan.[http://archives.paris.fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YTo2OntzOjQ6ImRhdGUiO3M6MTA6IjIwMTgtMDMtMTkiO3M6MTA6InR5cGVfZm9uZHMiO3M6MTE6ImFya29fc2VyaWVsIjtzOjQ6InJlZjEiO2k6NDtzOjQ6InJlZjIiO2k6MjQ2MDU1O3M6MTY6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWwiO2I6MTtzOjIxOiJ2aXNpb25uZXVzZV9odG1sX21vZGUiO3M6NDoicHJvZCI7fQ==#uielem_move=-459%2C-6&uielem_rotate=F&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=120 Archives de Paris 8th, acte de mariage #215, year 1898 (view 22/31)]

Auguez died on 18 July 1955 at her home in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.[http://archives.paris.fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YTo2OntzOjQ6ImRhdGUiO3M6MTA6IjIwMTgtMDMtMTkiO3M6MTA6InR5cGVfZm9uZHMiO3M6MTE6ImFya29fc2VyaWVsIjtzOjQ6InJlZjEiO2k6NDtzOjQ6InJlZjIiO2k6MzAxMjk2O3M6MTY6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWwiO2I6MTtzOjIxOiJ2aXNpb25uZXVzZV9odG1sX21vZGUiO3M6NDoicHJvZCI7fQ==#uielem_move=-839%2C-51&uielem_rotate=F&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=149 Archives de Paris 6th, death act #622, year 1955 (view 3/31)] She is buried with her husband and their daughter Geneviève at Père-Lachaise Cemetery.{{Cite book|language=fr|first1=Paul|last1=Bauer|title=Deux siècles d'histoire au Père Lachaise| location=Paris|publisher=Mémoire et Documents|year=2006|isbn=978-2914611480|page=482}}.

File:Mathilde Auguez et Albert Piccaluga dans la Vénus d'Arles.jpg

References

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