André Mallabrera

André Mallabrera (15 June 1934 – 2 October 2017)[1] was a French tenor. Born in Oran, (then in French Algeria), he was the son of singer José Mallabrera.[2]

After following his father into the watchmaker trade, Mallabrera undertook vocal studies at the Conservatoire d'Alger and in 1958 joined the Réunion des Théâtres Lyriques Nationaux.[3]

His career was based at both the Opéra Comique (where he made his debut in December 1958 as Almaviva), and the Opéra in Paris (his debut being Hylas in Les Troyens in May 1962). His voice, described as 'light, with immaculate French' was particularly at home at the former house in Mireille (Vincent), La Fille de Madame Angot (Pomponnet), the title role in Le Comte Ory, and La Chauve-Souris (Alfred).[4] In 1961 he sang Gustave in the premiere of Georges Van Parys's opera-ballet-bouffe La Belle de Paris.[5] and took a minor rôle in the premiere of Menotti's Le Dernier Sauvage in 1963.[3]

He sang in the first modern revival of Les Boréades on 16 September 1964 (celebrating the 200th anniversary of Rameau's death) at the Maison de la Radio in Paris, recorded for broadcast the following month; the cast included Christiane Eda-Pierre.[6] As the Comte de Nangis he took part in a complete BBC broadcast of Chabrier's Le Roi malgré lui recorded in Manchester in 1973, conducted by Manuel Rosenthal.[7]