Martial Singher

Martial Singher (August 14, 1904 – March 9, 1990) was a French baritone opera singer born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Initially singing only as a hobby, he was encouraged by then French education minister Édouard Herriot to pursue singing professionally. He would go on to perform at the Opéra National de Paris, the Royal Opera House, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Chicago Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.

He recorded an acclaimed Méphistophelès under Charles Munch in the RCA recording of Berlioz's La damnation de Faust (February 1954) with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, David Poleri as Faust and Suzanne Danco as Marguerite. In 1959 he is Chorèbe in Les Troyens, conducted by Robert Lawrence.

Later in his life he became an accomplished music teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal before moving to Santa Barbara and taking over the Music Academy of the West. He is known for influencing the careers of such artists as James King, Donald Gramm, Jeannine Altmeyer, Benita Valente, John Reardon, Louis Quilico, Jean-François Lapointe, Judith Blegen, Cynthia Hoffmann, Thomas Moser, and William Workman. Singher has also been the teacher of world-famous baritones such as Thomas Hampson and Rodney Gilfry.

He wrote a book useful to vocalists aspiring to an operatic career, An Interpretive Guide to Operatic Arias: A Handbook for Singers, Coaches, Teachers, and Students (1983).

Singher died in Santa Barbara. He had married Margareta Busch, daughter of the conductor Fritz Busch, in 1940. They had three sons. Michel Singher, is an accomplished international conductor.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 14, 1904 (Oloron-Sainte-Marie), Died March 9, 1990 (Santa Barbara)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1932 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 81839 11/7/1951 French Folk Songs For Children: Sur le pant d'Avignon ; Au clair de la lune ; Il était un petit navire Martial Singher vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca 81840 11/7/1951 French Folk Songs For Children: Frère Jacques ; Marche des rois ; Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman Martial Singher vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca 81841 11/7/1951 French Folk Songs For Children: Il était une bergère ; Margoton ; Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre Martial Singher vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca 81842 11/7/1951 French Folk Songs For Children: Cadet Rousselle ; Fais dodo ; Labonne aventure Martial Singher vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WL3740 10-in. 6/2/1932 Chants populaires hébraïques Darius Milhaud ; Martial Singher Baritone vocal solo, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WL3741 10-in. 6/2/1932 Chants populaires hébraïques Darius Milhaud ; Martial Singher Baritone vocal solo, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WL3742 10-in. 6/2/1932 Chants populaires hébraïques Darius Milhaud ; Martial Singher Baritone vocal solo, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WL3751 10-in. 6/3/1932 Chants populaires hébraïques Darius Milhaud ; Martial Singher Baritone vocal solo, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Singher, Martial," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343981.

Singher, Martial. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343981.

"Singher, Martial." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343981

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