Name Lucy Arbell | Died 1947, Bougival, France | |
Lucy Arbell (nee Georgette Gall, Georgette Wallace) (June 8th, 1878 - Paris, 1947), was a French mezzo-soprano whose operatic career was mainly centred in Paris and who was particularly associated with the composer Jules Massenet.
Life and career
The father of Georgette was Edmond Richard Wallace (1840-1887), son of Sir Richard Wallace.
Arbell made her stage debut as Dalila at the Paris Opera on 23 October 1903. She also sang there Amneris in Aida, Madalena in Rigoletto, Uta in Sigurd, Fricka in La Valkyrie and Therese.
She had a close relationship with the late operas of Massenet, creating roles in Ariane (Persephone), Therese (title role), Bacchus (Queen Amahelli), Don Quichotte (Dulcinee), Roma (Postumia), and Panurge (Colombe).
At the Opera-Comique she sang Charlotte (Werther) up to the 1920s.
As a singer she is described as having a strong, vibrant ‘mezzo-contralto’ and a vivacious personality.