Albert Roberval

Roberval, Albert

Roberval, Albert. Conductor, stage director, tenor, teacher, actor, b Florence 23 Oct 1869, naturalized Canadian 1923, d Montreal 4 Oct 1941. He received all his training in Paris where he studied harmony with Massenet, counterpoint and fugue with Charles René, and voice with Paul Lhérie, and also took lessons in piano and organ. He made his debut as a singer but soon turned to conducting at the suggestion of Massenet, three of whose operas he conducted at the Grand Théâtre in Bordeaux. He arrived in Montreal in 1905 to act at the Théâtre français. He worked 1907-9 for the Manhattan Opera Company, New York, as chorusmaster and assistant to Cleofonte Campanini. He lived 1909-13 in Marseilles, where he directed the Théâtre du Gymnase.

After military service, ending in 1916, Roberval settled in Montreal where he remained active as conductor, stage director, and teacher until his death. In various theatres and for several companies he conducted and staged many operas and operettas including Carmen, Mireille, Thaïs, Martha, Véronique, and La Mascotte. With his wife Jeanne Maubourg he directed a school at which Pierrette Alarie, Fleurette Beauchamp, Léonide Letourneux, Henri Prieur, Honoré Vaillancourt, and others studied opera performance. Roberval served 1923-4 as artistic director of the Société canadienne d'opérette and conducted many of its productions. He conducted for radio station CKAC as well, where he also worked as an actor. In 1938 he conducted and staged Leroux's opera Évangéline.