Caron, Rose Lucile

1857-

A famous French soprano who was heard in opera and in concert and whose maiden name was Meuniez. She was born at Monerville, in France, and was a pupil at the Paris Conservatory from 1880 until 1882, when she obtained second prize for singing and accessit for opera. She made her debut at the Theatre de la Monnaie, Brussels, in 1882, creating the part of Brunhilde in Reyer's Sigurd. She remained at this theatre until 1885, when she sang at the Paris Opera in the Reyer piece. She also sang the principal roles in La Juive, Freischütz, Henry VIII. and in Massenet's Cid. She returned to Brussels, in 1887, and created the soprano part in Godard's Jocelyn in 1888 and Reyer's Salammbo, in 1890. In that year she went to Paris again, appearing in Sigurd, Lohengrin and Salammbo and, in 1893, she sang at the French performance of Die Walküre the part of Sieglinde, and the following year appeared in Verdi's Otello. Elizabeth in Tannhauser and Donna Anna are considered her best roles. She was also successful in Fidelio and in Gluck's Iphigenie en Tauride. She appeared in the latter, in 1900, and since then has been heard chiefly in concerts. In 1902 she was appointed one of the professors of singing at the Paris Conservatory. At the height of her career, Mme. Caron was admired quite as much for the great beauty of her face and figure as for her wonderful voice.