A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Massol, Jean
MASSOL, Jean Étienne Auguste, born 1802 at Lodève, Hérault, was taught singing at the Paris Conservatoire from 1823–25, and gained a first prize there. He made his début at the Opera as Licinius ('Vestale'), Nov. 17, 1825, and remained there until Oct. 8, 1845. He first played second tenor parts in several new operas—Rodolphe ('Tell'); Herald ('Robert'); Kalaf (in Cherubini's Ali Baba '); Tavannes ('Huguenots'); Quasimodo (in Louise Bertin's 'Esmeralda'); Forte Braccio (in Haléy's 'Guido et Ginevra'); Mocenigo ('Reine de Chypre'); and the baritone parts of Tell and Jolicoeur ('Philtre'), etc. He played for a time in Brussels, London, etc., and returned as principal baritone to the Opera in 1850, where he remained until his farewell benefit Jan. 14, 1858. The Emperor was present on that occasion, immediately after the attempt made on his life by Orsini on his arrival at the theatre. His best new parts were Reuben (Auber's 'Enfant Prodigue'), Dec. 6, 1850, and Ahasuerus (Halévy's 'Juif Errant'), April 23, 1852. He was a good singer, admirably suited for heroic drama, having the proper figure and height, and a splendid voice. 'In secondary characters no one was Massol's superior, aad when he played the principal parts he did so with the happiest results. Thus he made the success of the Juif Errant.… His Quasimodo did him the greatest honour.…' (Jules Janin in the 'Débats.') He became for a time Director of the Royal Theatres at Brussels; he subsequently went into business, and, retiring, resided at Versailles, and finally in Paris, where he died Oct. 30, 1887.
While a member of the Brussels Company he made his début at Drury Lane in 1846, as De Nevers July 17, as Jolicœur Aug. 10, etc. He sang at concerts in 1848, and appeared once at Covent Garden as Alphonso XI. July 4. Roger, in his 'Carnet d'un ténor,' has recorded that Massol did not understand Italian, and uttered the most horrible jargon. He sang his first air too low, but otherwise obtained a success, which was partly due to the way in which he had paid court to the journalists and other influential persons, and to his knowledge of artistic cookery. He played there in 1849–50 Pietro ('Masaniello'), De Nevers, Kilian ('Freischütz'), etc.; at Her Majesty's in 1851, Reuben, on the production of 'L'Enfant Prodigue,' June 12; the Baron de Beaumanoir (Balfe's 'Quatre Fils d'Aymon'), Aug. 11, etc. According to the 'Athenæum,' June 14, his Reuben had a patriarchal dignity and pathos, and he sang better in that opera than in any other.