Henriette Méric-Lalande

Henriette Méric-Lalande (1798, Dunkerque - September 7, 1867, Chantilly) was a French operatic soprano, one of the leading sopranos of the early 19th century.

She was the daughter and pupil of the conductor Jean-Baptiste Lalande, and made her stage debut in Nantes, in 1814. Noticed in Paris by Castil-Blaze who introduced her to Garcia in 1823. She then went to Milan for further studies with Bonfichi and Banderali. She sang at La Fenice in Venice, 1823-24, where she created Meyerbeer's "Il crociato in Egitto". In 1826, she created at the San Carlo in Naples Bellini's "Bianca e Gernando".

At La Scala in Milan, she created again for Bellini, Imogene in "Il pirata" in 1827, and Alaide in "La straniera" in 1829. The same year, she also created the title role in "Zaira" in Parma. Still at La Scala, she created in 1833, the title role in Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia", but by then she was already past her best.

She also appeared at the Théâtre-Italien in 1828, in London in 1830. She left the stage in 1838, as Elisabetta in "Roberto Devereux". An accomplished virtuoso singer she also enjoyed acclaim in Rossini operas such as "La donna del lago", "Mosè in Egitto", "Semiramide".

According to the music critic Chorley, Méric-Lalande began having vocal problems as early as 1829, when it was noticed that she accused a wide and slow vibrato, however through her highly dramatic temperament she was able to conceal it to some extent.

She was married to a cornist by the name of Méric, and added his name to hers.

ources

* "Le guide de l'opéra", Roland Mancini & Jean-Jacques Rouveroux, (Fayard, 1986) ISBN 2-213-01563-6