Roger Bourdin

Roger Bourdin (June 14, 1900, Levallois-Perret - September 14, 1973, Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France.

Life and career

Bourdin studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he was a pupil of André Gresse and Jacques Ismerdon. He made his professional debut at the Opéra-Comique in 1922, as Lescaut in "Manon". His debut at the
Palais Garnier took place in 1942, in Henri Rabaud's "Mârouf, savetier du Caire". The major part of his career was to be spent between these two theatres, where he created some 30 roles.

He seldom performed outside France, but did a few guest appearances at the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

His most memorable roles were: Clavaroche in André Messager's "Fortunio", Metternich in Arthur Honegger and Jacques Ibert's "L'Aiglon", Duparquet in Reynaldo Hahn's "Ciboulette", Lheureux in Emmanuel Bondeville's "Madame Bovary", the lead in Darius Milhaud's "Bolivar", but also standard roles such as Valentin, Athanael, Onegin, and Sharpless. In all he sang an estimated 100 roles throughout his long career.

Bourdin was also active in operetta, and as a recitalist. Afterretiring from the stage in 1959, he became a teacher at the Paris Conservatory.

He can be heard in two complete recordings, "Faust" and "Thais", opposite his wife soprano Géori Boué.

Sources

* Alain Pâris, "Dictionnaire des interprètes et de l'interpretation musicale au XX siècle" (2 vols), Ed. Robert Laffont (Bouquins, Paris 1982, 4th Edn. 1995, 5th Edn 2004). ISBN 2-221-06660-X
* Roland Mancini and Jean-Jacques Rouveroux, (orig. H. Rosenthal and J. Warrack, French edition), "Guide de l’opéra", Les indispensables de la musique (Fayard, 1995). ISBN 2-213-01563-6