André Simon

1936 Marseille – 27 February 2020 Marseille

Simon's long career of 45 years developed from main roles in operetta to operatic (and other) comprimario parts at the Marseille opera, where he had also started out at the operatic studio. He had his first regular contract in Avignon, and when doing his military in Besançon, he auditioned at the opera theater, where retired baritone Pierre Nougaro was director, and was immediately engaged – Nougaro used his contacts to reduce Simon's military duties to four hours from 8 to 12, and the rest of the day, he was free to be a tenor. When Nougaro became also director of the Rennes opera theater in 1966, together with his daughter Alina, Simon sang also there... and married Alina Nougaro.

Selected performances:
1968
Vichy, Théâtre du Grand Casino: Die lustige Witwe (in French), role: Camille de Rosillon

1975
Avignon, Opéra-théâtre: La vie parisienne
Marseille, Opéra: Les cloches de Corneville, role: Grenicheux

1976
Avignon, Opéra-théâtre: La mascotte
Avignon, Opéra-théâtre: Passionément (by Messager)
Nantes, Théâtre Graslin: Les vingt-huit jours de Clairette (by Roger)

1977
Avignon, Opéra-théâtre: Die Fledermaus (in French)

1985
Tours, Grand Théâtre: La vie parisienne, role: Brésilien

1988
Marseille, Opéra: Falstaff, role: Bardolfo
Marseille, Opéra: La vie parisienne, role: Brésilien

1991
Marseille, Opéra: La belle Hélène, role: Achille

1994
Marseille, Opéra: Die Fledermaus (in French), role: Frank (!)
Marseille, Opéra: Hello Dolly (in French), role: Rudolph

1995
Marseille, Opéra: Nabucco, role: Abdallo

1999
Marseille, Opéra: Falstaff, role: Bardolfo

Reference 1, reference 2, reference 3: Alain Wodrascka, Nougaro. Une vie qui rime à quelque chose, Paris 2009

I want to thank Georges Cardol for the picture.