Roger Yacazzi
6 October 1910 Paris – 13 June 1994 Paris
He was a carpenter before studying voice, and in 1940 became a prisoner of war. Whether or not this incited his idea of changing
profession and becoming a singer, I have no idea. It wouldn't seem that he had a long career, and I wonder whether he returned to
his old job.
Opéra
He made his debut on November 11th, 1946 in Rigoletto.
Opéra-Comique
He made his debut on March 8th, 1947 in Tosca. He also sang Cavalleria rusticana, Madama Butterfly, Manon and La bohème.
In 1942, John O'Sullivan (as Jean Sullivan) took part as a member of the jury in the final of the tenors
competition that took place at the Opéra on February 17th and was organized by
Comoedia and La Voix de son Maitre.
The jury was composed, besides him, of Jane
Bourguignon, Claire Croiza, Germaine Lubin, Magne, Germaine Martinelli, Alfred
Bachelet, Jean Berard, Pierre Bernac, Louis Beydts, Jen Bourdon, Roger Bourdin,
F. Bousquet, René Chauvet, René Delange, Delvincourt, Fernand Francell, Paul
Franz, Fribourt, Paul Gregorio, Arthur Honegger, Georges Jouatte, Ayme Kunc,
Lafollye, de Laromiguiere, Dr. Le Mee, Georges Linor,
Mauret-Lafage, Mitzakis, Lucien Muratore, Jean Perier, Georges
Pioch (secretary), Janusz Poplawski, Proton de la Chapelle, Paul Razavet, Georges Ricou, François
Ruhlmann, Thomas-Salignac, Georges Thill, Roger Thirel, Thomas-Salignac, Vanni-Marcoux, Georges
Viseur, Emile Vuillermoz and Dr. Wicart.
The winners in order were Nicolas
Mégret (Aïda), Brégerie (Guillaume Tell), and jointly in third place, René
Rotteleur (Roméo et Juliette) and Michel Hamel (Mignon). Mégret had a great
career and Hamel became a comprimario. As a bonus for winning the competition,
Mégret made a record. (It has never been seen except by one collector at a flea
market. As he did not know the name of the singer and as it was in any case a 78
of a singer not collected by him, he left it.)
Some tenors, who participated but did
not get prizes, had, nevertheless, careers. They were: Roger Yacazzi, Raymond
Amade, Guy Fouché and Jean Michel. Previous winners of that competition
included Paul Franz, Giuseppe Lugo, Émile Marcelin, Robert Lassalle, Mario
Cazenave, Georges Noré, Claude Fronval.
Biographical reference and source for top picture
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