Robert Massard, one of the most distinguished French baritones of the post-war era, has died at the age of 100. Born in Pau on 15 August 1925, he passed away on 26 December 2025, only months after celebrating his centenary in his hometown.
Massard was largely self-taught and began his professional career in 1952 at the Paris Opera, debuting as the High Priest in Samson et Dalila before quickly establishing himself as Valentin in Faust. That same year, he appeared for the first time at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, singing Thoas in Iphigénie en Tauride, marking the beginning of a long international trajectory.
An international career rooted in French repertoire
In 1955, Massard made his debuts at La Scala and the Glyndebourne Festival, both as Ramiro in Ravel’s L’heure espagnole. His career rapidly expanded to major stages across Europe and the Americas, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Edinburgh Festival, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.
He became especially associated with key roles of the French baritone repertoire, earning wide acclaim as Valentin (Faust), Escamillo (Carmen), Chorèbe (Les Troyens), Fieramosca (Benvenuto Cellini), and Golaud (Pelléas et Mélisande). Alongside this core repertoire, he also enjoyed success in Italian opera, singing roles such as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Riccardo in I puritani, Rigoletto, and Germont in La traviata.
Recordings and later years
Massard’s recorded legacy remains central to his reputation. Among his most celebrated recordings are Faust, alongside Joan Sutherland, Franco Corelli, and Nicolai Ghiaurov, and Carmen with Maria Callas and Nicolai Gedda, conducted by Georges Prêtre. These recordings continue to be reference points for French operatic style, particularly admired for the clarity of his diction and elegance of phrasing.
After retiring from the stage in the early 1980s, Massard remained active as a teacher and mentor, notably at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux, and served as a jury member in international singing competitions. One such competition, the Concours International de Chant Robert Massard in Bordeaux, bears his name.
In recognition of his contribution to French musical life, he was named Officier de la Légion d’honneur and Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His final public appearance took place in September 2025, when he was honoured in Pau with the city’s Médaille d’Or.
Robert Massard leaves behind the legacy of a singer who embodied the authority, refinement, and expressive directness of the French baritone tradition at its height.
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