Mado Robin
Encyclopedia
Madeleine Marie Robin, known as Mado Robin (December 29, 1918December 10, 1960), was a French
coloratura soprano
.
She was born in Yzeures-sur-Creuse
, Touraine
, where she owned the Château Les Vallées. A star of television and radio in the 1950s, she was well known in France. Among her roles were Lakmé
, which she recorded for Decca Records
in 1952 (with Georges Sébastian
conducting), Lucia di Lammermoor
, Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Gilda in Rigoletto
, Rosina in The Barber of Seville
, and Leyla in Les pêcheurs de perles
. In 1954 she went to San Francisco to sing Lucia and Gilda, and had a successful tour of the Soviet Union
with 16 concerts over a few weeks.
She hit D above double-high C in live performance in Vichy (D7 in scientific pitch notation
or about 2349 Hz).
At 17 she married Alan Smith, an Englishman, who died shortly after World War II
in a car crash. She had one daughter. Mado died in Paris
in 1960 from cancer
(some sources state liver cancer
, others leukaemia) a few days before the 1500th performance of Lakmé at the Opéra-Comique
, which had organized the event for her birthday.
A museum to her life opened in her home town in 2009.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
coloratura soprano
Coloratura soprano
A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano who specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs and leaps. The term coloratura refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component of the music written for this voice...
.
She was born in Yzeures-sur-Creuse
Yzeures-sur-Creuse
Yzeures-sur-Creuse is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.This is one of the oldest villages in Touraine, occupation dating back to the Upper Paleolithic era more than 10,000 years before Christ. During Ancient history and the Merovingian dynasty, it had an important...
, Touraine
Touraine
The Touraine is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, the Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher and Indre.-Geography:...
, where she owned the Château Les Vallées. A star of television and radio in the 1950s, she was well known in France. Among her roles were Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
, which she recorded for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1952 (with Georges Sébastian
Georges Sébastian
Georges Sébastian was a French conductor of Hungarian birth, particularly associated with Wagner and the post-romantic repertory ....
conducting), Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
, Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Gilda in Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
, Rosina in The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
, and Leyla in Les pêcheurs de perles
Les pêcheurs de perles
Les pêcheurs de perles is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was first performed on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performances in its initial run...
. In 1954 she went to San Francisco to sing Lucia and Gilda, and had a successful tour of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
with 16 concerts over a few weeks.
She hit D above double-high C in live performance in Vichy (D7 in scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave...
or about 2349 Hz).
At 17 she married Alan Smith, an Englishman, who died shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in a car crash. She had one daughter. Mado died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1960 from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
(some sources state liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
, others leukaemia) a few days before the 1500th performance of Lakmé at the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
, which had organized the event for her birthday.
A museum to her life opened in her home town in 2009.