Opera Singer. She was a leading dramatic soprano of late 19th. and early 20th. century Europe. Born Bertha Agnes Lisette Schilling, she studied piano in Lausanne and Geneva before embarking on a vocal career. Following study at the Paris Conservatory she made her 1892 Paris Opera debut as Selika from Giacomo Meyrbeer's "L'Africaine" and was to remain prima donna of that theatre until 1919. Lucienne sang a wide variety of roles though her signature pieces were to be the title leads of Gluck's "Armide" and of Rameau's "Hippolyte et Arcie"; she took on several of Wagner's characters including Kundry in "Parsifal", Brunnhilde from "Die Walkure" and Venus in "Tannhauser" and gave a number of world premieres of works which are now forgotten. Lucienne appeared on occasion at Paris' Opera-Comique, made her 1899 Covent Garden, London, bow as Valentine in Meyerbeer's "Les Huguenots" and first appeared at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1901 as Chimene from the same composer's "Le Cid". Over the years she gave recitals throughout Europe and following her retirement was a voice teacher in Paris. Lucienne made no commercial recordings though she can be heard on one of Lionel Mapleson's cylinders from the Metropolitan.
Opera Singer. She was a leading dramatic soprano of late 19th. and early 20th. century Europe. Born Bertha Agnes Lisette Schilling, she studied piano in Lausanne and Geneva before embarking on a vocal career. Following study at the Paris Conservatory she made her 1892 Paris Opera debut as Selika from Giacomo Meyrbeer's "L'Africaine" and was to remain prima donna of that theatre until 1919. Lucienne sang a wide variety of roles though her signature pieces were to be the title leads of Gluck's "Armide" and of Rameau's "Hippolyte et Arcie"; she took on several of Wagner's characters including Kundry in "Parsifal", Brunnhilde from "Die Walkure" and Venus in "Tannhauser" and gave a number of world premieres of works which are now forgotten. Lucienne appeared on occasion at Paris' Opera-Comique, made her 1899 Covent Garden, London, bow as Valentine in Meyerbeer's "Les Huguenots" and first appeared at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1901 as Chimene from the same composer's "Le Cid". Over the years she gave recitals throughout Europe and following her retirement was a voice teacher in Paris. Lucienne made no commercial recordings though she can be heard on one of Lionel Mapleson's cylinders from the Metropolitan.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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