Charles Panzéra

He remained there for three seasons, excelling in several rôles, notably Jahel in Lalo's Le roi d'Ys, Lescaut in Massenet's Manon and, most permanently, Debussy's Pelléas.

Among his notable pupils were the composer Gabriel Cusson, the musicologist Alain Daniélou, the opera singer Pierre Mollet and the soprano Caroline Dumas.

Besides a large selection of mélodies by Fauré, Duparc, Saint-Saëns, Caplet and many others, including German Lieder, Panzéra made a celebrated complete album of Schumann's Dichterliebe with Alfred Cortot at the piano in 1935.

He also recorded operatic music, not only the usual chestnuts of the French baritone, but items by Lully and other early composers, as well as J. S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner.

Pearl (Pavilion Records) has issued several invaluable volumes in excellent sound, including the Pelléas discs, which have also appeared through VAI in the USA.