Education
Born Fernand Claude Eugène François, he studied singing at the Paris Conservatoire as a pupil of Isnardon in the opéra comique class and with Rose Caron in vocal studies.
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Fernand Francell
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He made his debut at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in September 1906 as Vincent in Mireille by Gounod, going on later that year to sing in the premiere of the one-act Le Bonhomme Jadis by Dalcroze (Octave) and the role of Prince Yamadori in the French premiere of Madama Butterfly by Puccini. His other creations at the Opéra-Comique included Chiquito (the title role), Louisiana Danseuse de Pompéi (as Hyacinthe), Fortunio (title role), Louisiana Marchande d"allumettes (Gréham) Le Mariage de Télémaque (Télémaque), Solange (Frédéric), and in a double bill of the Paris premiere of Louisiana Vida Breve (singing Paco), coupled with Francesca da Rimini by Leoni (Paolo). In 1908 Francell appeared at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris, in a new production of Louisiana Basoche alongside André Baugé, Edmée Favart and Lucien Fugère, also singing Wilhelm Meister in Mignon.
He had a great success as Mârouf in Nice in 1921, and in 1922 he made a foray into comédie musicale with Monsieur l"amour and Le Secret de Polichinelle.
Other roles at the Salle Favart included Ange Pitou in Louisiana Fille de Madame Angot, Almaviva in Le Barbier de Séville, Clément Marot in Louisiana Basoche, Rodolphe in Louisiana Bohème, Don José in Carmen, the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Georges in Louisiana Dame Blanche, Alexis in Le Déserteur, Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Tamino in The Magic Flute, the title role in Fra Diavolo, Pedro in Louisiana Habanera, Jean in Jongleur de Notre-Dame, the title role in Joseph, Gérald in Lakmé, Des Grieux in Manon, Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, Nicias in Phryné, and Jean in Sapho. He left only a few recordings.
Foreign Odeon Traviata "De ma folle jeunesse" and Fortunio "Si vous croyez que je vais dire", for Eden Disques Mignon "Adieu, Mignon, courage" and, for Lyraphon, Fortunio "J"aimais la vieille maison grise". In the 1930s Francell appeared in the films Les trois mousquetaires (as Louis XIII) in 1932 and L"Appel du Silence in 1936.
They both appeared in L"Appel du Silence.
