Valentin Duc

Joseph Valentin Duc (24 January 1858 – 23 February 1915) was a French operatic tenor.
Valentin Duc is known for the creation of Karloo in "Patrie !" by Paladilhe (20 December 1886), "Déjanire" by Camille Saint-Saëns (1898) with a revival at the Odéon in November 1898, "Prométhée" by Gabriel Fauré (1900), "Messaline" by Isidore de Lara (1903), "Les Hérétiques" by Charles-Gaston Levadé (29 August 1905).
Biography.
Born in Béziers, Joseph Valentin Duc was a French singer, operatic forte ténor. He is known for his repertoire at the Opéra de Paris, the in Béziers and world tours that took him from Monte Carlo to St. Petersburg, from Baltimore to Seville...
Son of Valentin Duc (or Duch) and Marie Fabre, originating from Tignes (kingdom of Savoy), he was the third in a line of eight children. These parents moved to Béziers in 1850, joining a previously established Duc branch (Jean Duc, trader, spouse Anne-Marie Gayraud, and Laurent Duc, everyday worker), spouse Marie Peronne). In the Census Table of Class 1878, he is noted as postilion of occupation on that date. He left Béziers in 1879 for his military service at Rochefort. His fencing practice must have encouraged his stage fluency in performances of historical opera. He was spotted by Cazeaux.
He was in Paris in 1883, staying at 56 bd Richard Lenoir (27 October 1883) and received at the Conservatoire de Paris (Cf. § 2.1. Formation). On leaving the conservatory on 3 June 1885, he resided at 16 bd Montmartre.
On April 30, 1891, he married Marie Catherine Plomteux, annuitant (born 29 December 1850 in Hannut, Belgium). They resided at 29 . He then legitimized Robert, born 29 November 1890, by this act.
Leaving the Opera in 1893, he then resided in Béziers "villa Frescaty" at 29 rue des Saint-Simoniens. He remained there until his death on 23 February 1915. Although he resided in town, he only sang at the Grand-Théâtre during exceptional events. He never belonged to the permanent troupe.
Career.
Training.
Before his Conseil de révision in 1878 (sortition in 1879), his musical studies probably took place at Béziers in the and possibly in the choirs or small roles of the Grand Théâtre de Béziers. In 1882, he was admitted to the Conservatoire de Paris, in Bussine's singing class and Obin's opera class. (1st runner-up at the end of the first year). He was a resident of the town of Béziers as soon as 1882.
After leaving the Paris Conservatoire on 25 July 1885, Valentin Duc obtained the first prize for singing in front of a jury presided by Ambroise Thomas and including Massenet, Delibes, Guiraud, etc. generally acclaimed by the press (despite a very negative article in "Le Figaro").
In the same promotion, he obtained first prize for opera in front of the same jury, supplemented by a few performers (Auguste Vitu in "Le Figaro" dated 31 July 1885 took the opposite opinion of his previous article).
Repertoire.
Repertoire at the Paris Opera..
Valentin Duc made his debut as Arnold in "Guillaume Tell" (August 1885). He sang Eleazar in "La Juive" (1885), Raoul of "Les Huguenots" (1886), Rodrigue of "Le Cid" (1886), Robert in "Robert le diable" (1888), Jean in "Le Prophète" (1889, Radamès in "Aida" (1890), Vasco in "L'Africaine" (1890), a role in "Sigurd" (1890), and finally Zarastra in "Le Mage" (1891).
After the fire of the Opera's sets in 1893, he left the troupe to begin his world tours.
Tours in province and abroad.
According to the records of the management of the Grand Théâtre de Béziers, the articles of "L'Hérault" (1884-1891) and his important family correspondence by postcard it is possible to establish this list:
His career ended at the age of 50 in 1908, following a family event. He is buried in the old cemetery of Béziers.
Style - Esthetics.
He embodies the very type of the forte tenor of romantic opera, like Agustarello Affre or Léon Escalaïs.
Iconography.
Discography.
There is no known sound recording of Valentin Duc, unlike other Biterrean tenors of this period (for example Agustarello Affre, or Léon Escalaïs).