Prosper Dérivis [SEP] voice type
Prosper Dérivis
Nicolas-Prosper Dérivis (28 October 1808 - 11 February 1880) was a French operatic bass. He possessed a rich deep voice that had a great carrying power. While he could easily assail heavy dramatic roles, he was also capable of executing difficult coloratura passages and performing more lyrical parts. Along with Nicolas Levasseur, he was one of the greatest French basses of his generation.
Life and career.
Born in Paris, Dérivis was the son of operatic bass Henri-Étienne Dérivis. He studied
-Blaze, his son Henri Blaze, and Émile Deschamps of Mozart's "Don Giovanni". The all-star cast included Falcon as Donna Anna and Nourrit as Don Juan with Nicolas Levasseur as Leporello, Marcellin Lafont as Don Ottavio, Prosper Dérivis as the Commandeur, Henri Dabadie as Masetto, Julie Dorus-Gras as Elvire, and Laure Cinti-Damoreau as Zerline. Berlioz, who must have attended a dress rehearsal, had some reservations about Falcon's performance, writing in "Rénovateur" (6 March 1834)