New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-13

opera SINGER ultu bO-uoJ' Az ~
i'll since June.
Pol Henri Plancon, who for many
wears was one of the most popular OPP
era and concert singers in the world
was born June u, 1854, at Fumay, IN
the French Department of Ardennes,
and received his general education at
the College of Charlevoix. He studied
music and singing in Paris, under Du-
PREF and Sbriglia. His debut on the
operatic stage was at Lyons, IN. 1871,
as St. Bris in "The Huguenots," a part
in which he was finely effective and
was always thereafter one Of his favor
ties. His Interpretation of it is re-
called with delight by thousands who
saw and heard it in the famous call
star" productions of Meyerbeer's So
norous and spectacular work at the
Metropolitan Opera House in this city
with Nordica, Melba, Scalchi, the De
Reszkes and other great artists as his
associates. For two years he remained
at Lyons, adding to his repertory 20
seph in Gounod's "Cinq Mars" Eu-
stache in Saint Saens's "Etienne Mar
cell" and other parts.
His debut in Paris was made on Feb
ruary IL, 1880, at the Theatre de la
Gate, as Colonna in Duprats Pc
trarch." Thereafter he sang with much
success in the Lamoureux concerts, and
then, on June %, 1858, made his first
appearance at the Paris Opera House.
The part chosen for this occasion was
Mephistophees in Gounod's Faust"
and it was instantly acclaimed as one
of his best. So popular was it with the
Partisan public that he was called upon
to sing it more than ten times a year
for the ten years of his engagement
there. He also sang Pittacus in Gou-
mods "Sappho," Don Gormas in Mas
senet's "Cid," Francis in Saint Saens's
"Ascanio,' and many other parts. he
was first seen and heard in London at
Covent Garden on June 8, 1891, as
Mephistopheles, and repeated there the
great success of that part in Paris.
Thereafter until and including 1904 he
sang at Covent Garden every season,
and in 1892 for a few nights he was
heard at Drury Lane also. He sang
parts in English, French, German and
Italian with almost equal fuency, and
was heard in a great range of char
acters, including both the King and the
Priest in aida" both Capulet and
the Friar in Romeo and Juliet" Henry
the Fowler in "Lohengrin," Garrido in
LA Navarraise," Ariofarne in "Hero
and Leander," the Friar in much Ado
About Nothing" the King in "Prin-
cess Osra" and Phanuel in Massenet's
"Salome," besides the leading barytone
and bass parts of nearly all the
standard operas, Italian, German and
French.
Plancon's American debut was eff
fected under the management of Abbey
g. Grau at the old Metropolitan Opera
House on November 20, 1893. The OPP
era was Gounod's idyllic philemon and
Baucis," and the title parts we're enact
ed by Plancon and Miss Sigrid Arnold
son with great success, the French
basso winning the hearts of the au-
dience with his sonorous voice and
suave and finished style. A few nights
later he was the King in AMBROSE
Thomas's Hamlet" and he continued
through that season in a company COM
prising Eames, Nordica, Melba, Calve,
Scalchi, Bauermeister, Lasalle and Jean
and Edouard de Reszke.
Plancon also appeared frequently in
the Sunday evening concerts at the
Metropolitan, where his singing of "The
Two Grenadiers" became as much of a
fixed feature as, let US say, the orches-
tra's performance Of the william
Tell" overture-always welcomed on
the programme, or demanded as an
extra number if it were not there.
For thirteen consecutive seasons he
was engaged in this city with no dimi-
mutton of popularity. He had the fac
ulty of displaying fine lyric gifts on the
opera stage, and conversely of giving
a certain dramatic flavor TO his per-
formsnces on the concert stage. He was
a man Of handsome face and superb
bearing, and it was a rare sight to see
him on the stage with Lasalle and
Edouard de Reszke-three physical
giants as we'll as masters of the vocal
I MT