| Biography | Victor Maurel was a French operatic baritone who enjoyed an international reputation as a great singing actor.
Educated in music and stagecraft at the Paris Conservatory, he made his debut in opera in 1867, in the city of his birth. Maurel was renowned in Europe and the United States for his vivid stage presence and exceptional acting and make-up skills; but his voice, while well trained and of good quality, was not considered to be as impressive as that of his chief French baritone rivals, Jean Lassalle (18471909) and Maurice Renaud (18611933).
In 1887, Maurel created the role of Iago in Otello at La Scala, Milan, and then, in 1893, he created the title role in Falstaff, again at La Scala. These were the final two, and arguably the greatest, operatic masterpieces composed by Giuseppe Verdi, and it was Verdi who selected Maurel to perform in the premieres. Maurel made operatic history for a third time in 1892 when he was chosen to be the first Tonio in Ruggero Leoncavallo's enduringly popular verismo opera, Pagliacci.
After retiring from opera, Maurel taught singing in Paris and New York City. His pupils included the contralto Frances Ingram and the baritones Herbert Heyner and Thomas Quinlan. |