René Verdière enlisted in 1917 as a volunteer. Immediately
after the war, he continued his vocal studies at the Music School in Calais, and
then at the Conservatoire National in Paris. In 1926 he made his debüt at
Grand Opéra in Paris as Max in
Der Freischütz. He subsequently had a long career at both the Grand
Opéra and (from 1930) at the Opéra Comique. There, he participated
in the original production in 1935 of Gargantua
by Antoine Mariotte, among other works. He made many successful guest
appearances, notably at Covent Garden and at the Opera in Monte Carlo. At
Convent Garden in 1936 he substituted for as Julien in Charpentier's Louise.
Throughout his career he specialized in heroic roles in the French repertory
and in Wagner. In 1940 he was called up as a soldier, and was able to resume his
career at the Opéra Comique only in 1945. He later returned to the Grand
Opéra. In 1948 and 1949 he made guest appearances at the Opera in Monte
Carlo as Dmitri in Boris Godunov. In 1953 he played the role of Adario
in the glamorous premiere of the baroque opera Les Indes galantes by
Rameau. In 1959 he retired from the stage to teach in Paris.
Recordings:
Odeon.
We are pleased to present him here in Samson et Dalila