Joseph-Théodore-Désiré Barbot

Joseph-Théodore-Désiré Barbot, born in Toulouse on 12 April 1824, died in Paris on 1 January 1879, was a French operatic tenor.

[1][2] He won first prize in singing at the Conservatoire in 1847, and made his debut at the Paris Opera in the leading tenor role in Rossini's Le Comte Ory in that year.

[3] In 1859, Barbot replaced the originally scheduled tenor, Hector Gruyer, in the title role in the world premiere of Gounod's Faust at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and achieved a great success.

[4][1][2] Joseph-Théodore-Désiré Barbot was praised for his vocal range, his ability to spin beautiful high notes softly, his charm onstage, and his musical tastefulness.

[3] Successful in Italian operas as well as French, he and his wife Caroline enjoyed international careers, sometimes appearing together, at leading opera houses in France, England, Italy and Russia (where Caroline created the leading soprano role of Leonora in Verdi's La Forza del Destino in 1862).