Search - Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti :: Lebendige Vergangenheit: André d'Arkor

Exciting Belgian Tenor singing between the Wars

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 10/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"André d'Arkor was a Belgian tenor who began his career in the mid twenties and sang publicly to about the end of World War II. He toured the United States during the Thirties and received very good notices. D'Arkor had an enormous repetorie, and was extremely versatile, singing with great style and intelligence in both opera and operetta. On record his voice sounds an excellent lyric heroic, meaning he enjoys a high attack as well as a nice mezza voce. Like his more famous tenor countryman Fernand Ansseau, who preceded d'Arkor, the tenor sings heroic roles without strain - at least on record - though wihtout Ansseau's full-powered voice, d'Arkor wisely abstained from tackling parts like Rossini's Tell in the opera house.



His recordings are greatly admired by tenor fans, and certainly offer great pleasure for a number of qualities. Not only does d'Arkor have the high notes required in the various hunting songs of French operettas, but he displays an above average refinement, excellent diction - a quality demanded in French opera houses - and a reasonable legato style and even uses a head voice for effect! Listening to the samples should give a very good idea of what's in store. D'Arkor's chevalier des Grieux is large scaled, but not over the top, and he sings Massenet's bewitchingly beautiful aria, "En fermant les yeux" not only with finesse and ardor but brings as well a real sense of aristocracy. A noted stage actor, d'Arkor's conception of the part must have been memorable. His voice has a rich attractive color, though he has nothing quite as full as a singer he closely resembles in range, the fabulous German lyric Joseph Schmidt Complete EMI Recordings, Vol. 1 (If you have no recordings by this marvelous voice - try him!). Overall, d'Arkor is far superior to ANY French tenor I have heard since the sixties.



After his singing career ended d'Arkor ran the opera at Liège for two decades, and finished up his career in the world of opera as director of the Théatre de la Monnaie, a house where he had enjoyed his greatest success.



The Lebendige Vergangeheit Cd comes with a short biography in German and English, and the outside jacket has notes giving dates and particulars for the recordings - all Columbias made in 1931. I much prefer this LV 89541 Cd to other companies issues of this singer.



André d'Arkor's records are great fun and some are thrilling singing. Collectors not put off by opera recital recordings made before the age of stereo should find these very attractive additions indeed."