Joseph-Antoine-Charles Couderc

In 1829, Couderc studied at the Paris Conservatory with Louis Nourrit.

In 1834, Couderc made his debut at the Opéra-Comique als Rodolphe in Le petit chaperon rouge by Boieldieu.

He had immediately great success and stayed there until 1842 as a first tenor. At the Opéra-Comique, he sang in several world premieres:
Daniel in Le chalet by Adolphe Adam (on 25 September 1834 with M. Inchindi, Félicité Pradher),
Georges in L'éclair by Halévy (on 16 December 1835 with Amélie Miro-Camoin, Jean-Baptiste Chollet, Félicité Pradher),
Bénédict (L'ambassadrice by Auber on 21 December 1836 with Laure Cinti-Damoreau, Monsel, Éléonore "Jenny" Colon, Marie-Julie Halligner, Théodore-Étienne-François Moreau-Sainti, Roy),
Horace in Le domino noir by Auber (on 2 December 1837 with Laure Cinti-Damoreau, Merthaud, Mme Boulanger, Olivier, Théodore-Étienne-François Moreau-Sainti, Honoré Grignon, Roy, Berthier),
Rodolphe in Zanetta by Auber (on 18 May 1840 Laure Cinti-Damoreau, Mme Rossi, Ernest Mocker, Honoré Grignon, Charles-Louis Sainte-Foy, Emon Haussard),
Don Henrique in Les diamants de la couronne by Auber (on 6 March 1841 with Sophie Anne Thillon, Celestine Darcier, François-Louis-Ferdinand Henry, Toussaint-Eugène-Ernest Mocke, Achille Ricquie, Charles-Louis Sainte-Foy, Louis Palianti),
La double échelle by A. Thomas (on 23 August 1837).

In 1842, he moved to the Monnaie in Bruxelles and sang during the following years also in London.

Monnaie, Bruxelles

Season 1843/44
Other tenors: Laborde, Soyer, Millet
Debut on 26 July 1843 in Les diamants de la couronne

Le début le plus intéressant fut celui de Couderc, début laborieux, car le grand artiste fut reçu d'abord avec une sorte de défiance, et ne parvint que plus tard à conquérir l'entière faveur du public.

29 August/29 September, La part du diable by Auber as Rafaël with Zelger, Mme Guichard, Mme Villiomi-Laborde
26 February, bénéfice Couderc, first performance of Frère et mari, opéra comique by Clapisson, and Mademoiselle de Mêrange, opéra comique by Potier

Season 1844/45
Other tenors: Laborde, Bonnamy, Soyer, Gavaudan, Philippe, Victor, Lemaire, Millet
21 August, first performance of La reine de Chypre by Halévy with Laurent, Laborde, Mme Julian
18 November, benefice Couderc, La sirène with Mme Laborde, Soyer, Victor, Bellecour
15 April, benefice Mme Guichard, Les mousquetaires de la reine by Halévy with Soyer, Zelger, Baldy, Millet, Mme Laborde, Mme Guichard, Mme Biacare

Season 1846/47
Other tenors: Laborde, Mathieu, Boulo, Soyer, Philippe, Gavaudan. Michel, Lemaire. Millet
30 June, bénéfice Couderc, with Massol, Lucia di Lammermoor, Charles VII

Season 1847/48
Other tenors: Laborde, Dufresne, Julien, Suter, Philippe, Gavaudan, Michel, Lemaire, Jouart

In 1850, he came back to the Opéra-Comique Paris, now singing both tenor and baritone parts. There he appeared in the following world premieres:
Shakespeare in Le songe d'une nuit d'été by Ambroise Thomas (on 20 April 1850 with with Sophie Grimm, Constance-Caroline Faure-Lefèbvre , Jean-Jacques Boulo, Eugène Bataille)
Pique Dame by Jacques Fromental Halévy (on 28 December 1850 with Charles-Amable Battaille, Jean-Jacques Boulo, Ricquier, Delphine Ugalde)
Le Nabab by Halévy (on 1 September 1853 with Caroline Miolan-Carvallo, Charles-Auguste-Marie Ponchard)
Les chaises à porter by Victor Massé (on 28 April 1858 with Charles-Marie-Auguste Ponchard, Marie-Charlotte Lemercier, Prilleux)
La Circassienne by Auber (on 2 February 1861 with Mlle Monrose, Achille-Félix Montaubry, Paul-Pierre-Marie-Henri Laget)
Le capitaine Henriot by F. Auguste Gevaert (on 29 December 1864 with Léon Achard, Mlle Bélia, Célestine Galli-Marié, Charles-Marie-Auguste Ponchard, Eugène Crosti)
Laërte in Mignon by Thomas (on 17 November 1866 with Célestine Galli-Marié, Marie Cabel, Léon Achard, Bernard Voisy, François Bernard, Davoust).

Previously, in Joseph by Méhul, he had sung Joseph – now he was singing Siméon. He took up more and more buffo and character roles such as Jean (Les noces de Jeannette on 4 February 1853 with Caroline Miolan-Carvalho, Mme Begat, Louis Palianti), Pathelin (Maître Pathelin by Bazin on 12 December 1856 with Jean Berthelier)
and Pompéry (Le voyage en Chine by Bazin on 9 December 1865 with Alexandrine Cico, Mlle Révilly, Charles- Louis Sainte-Foy, Charles-Marie-Auguste Ponchard, Prilleux).

In 1865, he was named professor at the conservatory. Because of health reasons, he had to stop and returned to teaching in 1866 until 1870. His students included Étienne Dereims, Jules-Célestin Devoyod and Pierre Gailhard. During that time up to 1870, he still sang at the Opéra-Comique.

During the siege of Paris by the Germans, he volunteered in the army.

His health detoriated further and he needed care until his death.

Reference 1
Reference 2
Isnardon's book on La Monnaie
Kutsch & Riemens