Fernand Martel

Martel, Fernand

Fernand Martel. Baritone, organist, pianist, b Quebec City 11 Aug 1919. He studied singing at Laval University with Louis Gravel. During World War II he toured as soloist with the Band of the Royal 22nd Regiment. He studied with Queena Mario and Maggie Teyte 1944-8 on scholarship at the Juilliard School, obtaining his diploma in 1948. On 25 Mar 1948 he made his debut with the New York City Opera as Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande opposite Maggie Teyte. He worked with Pierre Bernac in Paris prior to his Canadian debut in 1949 with Montreal's Minute Opera in Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Susanna and Milhaud's Le Pauvre Matelot. He took part in productions by the Opéra national du Québec and sang on CBC radio in Menotti's The Telephone, Martinu°'s Comedy on the Bridge, Sauguet's Les Caprices de Marianne, Ravel's L'Heure espagnole, and numerous works from the repertoire. At Tanglewood in 1950 he took part in the US premiere, in the composer's presence, of Jacques Ibert's opera Le Roi d'Yvetot. In 1952 he sang Lescaut in Massenet's Manon with the Miami Opera Guild. Shortly afterwards he embarked on a solo career, accompanying himself on the piano, the organ, or the guitar. Besides five singles and one LP for London, in the USA he has made the LP Fernand Martel at the Rodgers 340 Theatre Organ (Concert Recording CR-18). In 1955 he settled in Los Angeles.