A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Carvalho, Marie

by Alexis Chitty

CARVALHO, Marie Caroline Félix, née Miolan, born Dec. 31, 1827, at Marseilles, received instruction from her father, Felix Miolan, an oboe player, and from Duprez at the Conservatoire, Paris (1843–47), where she obtained the first prize in singing. She made her début in the first act of 'Lucia,' and in the trio of the second act of 'La Juive,' at Duprez's benefit Dec. 14, '49. In 1849–56 she sang at the Opéra Comique, and made her reputation as Isabelle in 'Le Pré aux Clercs,' as the heroines on the respective productions of 'Giralda' and 'Les Noces de Jeannette,' July 20, '50, and Feb. 4, '53. In the latter year she married Carvalho, then engaged at the same theatre. From 1856–69 she sang at the Lyrique, where she first appeared in a new opera, 'La Fanchonnette' (Clapisson), and where she increased her reputation as the foremost female lyric artist of the French stage. She appeared as Cherubino, Zerlina ('Don Giovanni'), with Nilsson (Elvira) and Charton-Demeur (Donna Anna), as Pamina to the Astrifiammante of Nilsson, and in new operas of Massé and Gounod, i. e. 'La Reine Topaze,' Dec. 27, '56, 'Faust,' March 19, '59, 'Philémon et Baucis,' Feb. 18, '60, 'Mireille,' March 19, '64, and 'Roméo et Juliette,' April 27, '67. 'The opera stage has rarely seen a poet's imagining more completely wrought than in the Marguerite of Mme. Miolan-Carvalho … I had … watched the progress of this exquisitely finished artist with great interest … finding in her performances a sensibility rarely combined with such measureless execution as hers—and it has been fancied hardly possible to a voice in quality like hers, a high and thin soprano with little volume of tone—but I was not prepared for the delicacy of colouring, the innocence, the tenderness of the earlier scenes, and the warmth of passion and remorse and repentance which one then so slight in frame could throw into the drama as it went on. Rarely has there been a personation more complete or more delightful. Those know only one small part of this consummate artist's skill that have not seen her in this remarkable Faust.' (Chorley). In '69–70 and later she sang alternately at the Grand Opera and the Opéra Comique until her final retirement, which took place in scenes from 'Faust' and 'Mireille' at the Opéra Comique, June 9, 1885. She sang in a duet from the latter opera, with Faure, at the concert given at the Trocadéro on June 8, 1887, for the benefit of the sufferers in the fire at the Opéra Comique. She first appeared in England at the Royal Italian Opera as Dinorah, with great success, on the production of that opera ('Pardon de Ploërmel') July 26, '59. She sang every season until '64 inclusive, and again in '71–72, and worthily maintained her reputation—viz. as Margaret on the production of 'Faust,' Oscar ('Ballo in Maschera'), the Zerlinas (Mozart and Auber), Matilde, Donna Elvira, Rosina ('Barbiere' and 'Nozze'), Catarina ('L'Etoile du Nord'), etc., and in the small part of the Happy Shade in 'Orfeo.' Mme. Carvalho has also sung at Berlin, St. Petersburg, and elsewhere.^[1]

Léon Carvaillé, known as Carvalho, born 1825, educated at the Paris Conservatoire, where in 1848 he obtained an accessit, played small parts at the Opéra Comique, was manager of the Lyrique, in '56–'69, afterwards at the Vaudeville, where he produced Sardou's celebrated 'Rabagas'; in '76 became manager of the Opéra Comique. In consequence of the fire of May 25, 1887, a heavy fine was imposed upon him, and he was imprisoned for a time, since the accident was judged to be the result of managerial carelessness. In 1888 he was succeeded by M. Paravey.

[ A. C.]

1. Two brothers of Mme. Carvalho were also musicians. (1) Amédée Felix, orchestral conductor, who died at New Orleans. (2) Alexandre, professor of organ and harmonium, and as such attached to the Lyrique for several years; died April 26 1873.