Plançon, Pol (-Henri)

Plançon, Pol (-Henri) , famous French bass; b. Fumay, June 12, 1851; d. Paris, Aug. 11, 1914. He was destined by his parents for a commercial career in Paris, but showed a natural vocal ability, and began to study singing with Sbriglia and Duprez. He made his operatic debut as St.- Bris in Les Huguenots in Lyons (1877), then appeared for the first time in Paris as Colonna in Duprat’s Petrarque at the Théâtre de la Gaîté (Feb. 11, 1880). After a season in Monte Carlo, he made a highly successful appearance at the Paris Opéra as Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust (June 23, 1883); sang that role more than 100 times during his 10 seasons at the Opéra, and was regarded as unrivaled in his dramatic delivery and vocal power. On June 3, 1891, he sang Méphistophélès for his debut at London’s Covent Garden, singing there every subsequent season until 1904. His American debut took place at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. on Nov. 29, 1893, as Jupiter in Gounod’s Philemon et Baucis. He then resigned from the Paris Opéra and remained a member of the Metropolitan Opera until his retirement in 1908. He had an imposing physique, mobile features, and an innate acting ability. His repertoire consisted of about 50 roles in French, Italian, German, and Eng. In some operas he sang more than one part, as in Roméo et Juliette (Capulet and Friar), Aida (Ramfis and the King), Les Huguenots (St.-Bris and Marcel), etc. Of Wagnerian roles, he sang the Landgrave, King Heinrich, and Pogner.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire