Fanny Heldy

Fanny Heldy (February 29, 1888 - December 13, 1973) was an opera singer (a lyric soprano).

Born Marguerite Virginie Emma Clémentine Deceuninck in Ath (some sources say Liége), Hainaut, Belgium. After graduating from the Liége Conservatoire, she made her professional debut as a substitute in premiere of "Ivan the Terrible" by Raoul Gunsbourg (at the La Monnaie, November 26, 1910). Between 1914 and 1918 she sang a number of major roles at Opéra de Monte-Carlo, making her first Paris appearance at the Opéra-Comique in 1917 as Violetta in "La traviata" and as Juliette in Charles Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" at the Paris Opéra in 1920. In 1923 she made the historic, possibly the first ever, recording of the opera "Manon" for Pathé Records, conducted by Henri Büsser (she sang with tenor Jean Marny as Chevalier des Grieux) [ [http://www.amazon.com/Massenet-Manon/dp/B000004BOF/ref=sr_1_3/103-3197676-2111852?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1220300914&sr=1-3 "Manon" (Fanny Heldy) recording at amazon.com] ] . Also (in the same year) she re-created the title role of Massenet's "Esclarmonde" during the Paris revival of that opera (first since the end of previous century).

For more than twenty years, Fanny Heldy was France's leading opera star while also gaining international recognition through her performances at La Scala in Milan and at the Royal Opera House in London. In 1936, among other singers, she took part in the movie "Opéra de Paris" (directed by Claude Lambert) [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0495876/ "Opéra de Paris" (1936).] ] . She retired in 1939, residing at Château de Mivoisin, a 36 square kilometre property located 1½ hours south of Paris in Dammarie-sur-Loing, Loiret.

Fanny Heldy married business tycoon Marcel Boussac whose holdings included the House of Dior. A thoroughbred horse racing fan, her husband operated one of the most successful stables in racing history and she owned several stakes race winners herself.

Fanny Heldy died in 1973 and was buried in the Cimetière de Montmartre in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris. The "Prix Foundation Fanny Heldy" is awarded to one soprano in one year for one recording.

References

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28742542 Fanny Heldy (1888-1973)]
* [http://www.historicopera.com/jsingerh_page1.htm Historic Opera Singers bios and photos]