Caroline Lefebvre
Constance-Caroline Lefebvre, sometimes spelled Lefèvre, (born 21 December 1828 in Paris, France; died 1905) was a French opera singer described as a mezzo-soprano and as a soprano. She started her career in 1849 and performed until her retirement in 1866, mostly playing "dugazon" roles. She married her stage partner, famous baritone and composer Jean-Baptiste Faure, in 1859. Career. Lefebvre's early education took place in the Conservatoire de Paris under the guidance of David Banderali for her voice training and Théodore-François Moreau-Sainti for her opéra comique training, both in which she would win  first prizes. Lefebvre debuted at the Opéra-Comique on 12 October 1849 as Carlo Broschi in "La part du diable" by Daniel Auber. Her following roles were often labeled as mezzo-soprano "dugazon" roles, including "Le Toréador" et "Le Postillon de Lonjumeau" by Adolphe Adam (Madeleine); "Joconde" and "Jeannot et Colin" by Nicolas Isouard (Jeannette); "Joseph en Égypte" by Étienne Méhul (Benjamin); "Le Pré-aux-clercs" by Ferdinand Hérold (Isabelle); "Le Petit Chaperon rouge" by François-Adrien Boieldieu (Rose d'amour); "L'Épreuve villageoise" (Denise) by André Grétry; "Fra Diavolo" (Zerline), "La Sirène" and "Haydée" by Daniel Auber; and especially Fromental Halévy 's operas, "Les Mousquetaires de la reine" (Berthe de Simiane), "La Dame de pique", "Le Val d'Andorre," and "La Fée aux roses". Throughout the 1850s, Lefebvre's career was marked by the creation of many roles. In 1850, she created Palomita in "La Chanteuse voilée" by Victor Massé and another role in "Les Porcherons" by Albert Grisar; in 1852, she created "La Croix de Marie" by Louis-Aimé Maillard and "Madelon" by François Bazin, followed by the titular role in "Colette" by Justin Cadaux in 1853. In 1854, she created Prascovia in "L'Étoile du Nord" by Giacomo Meyerbeer and then  Massé's "Miss Fauvette", Grisar's "Le Chien du jardinier," and Rosette in Adam's "Le Housard de Berchini" in 1855. She created three roles in operas by Ambroise Thomas: "Le Songe d'une nuit d'été" in 1850, Stella in "Raymond ou le Secret de la reine" in 1851, and "Psyché" in 1857. Personal life. Lefebvre was described as having "remarkable intelligence." She had one son with Faure, Maurice, born in 1862 in Paris.