Hugues Cuénod

Hugues-Adhémar Cuénod (French pronunciation: [yɡ kɥeˈno]; 26 June 1902 – 6 December 2010) was a Swiss classical tenore di grazia, sometimes placed in the haute-contre category, and music educator known for his performances in international opera, operetta, both traditional and musical theatre, and on the concert stage, in character roles where he was particularly known for his clear, light, romantic and expressive poised interpretation of mélodie (French art song). A master of diction and technique, his repertoire encompassed everything from the medieval chansons of Guillaume de Machaut, Elizabethan lute songs, the sacred renaissance compositions of Claudio Monteverdi to the operas of Emilio de Cavalieri and Jacques Offenbach to the avant garde works of Igor Stravinsky. Cuénod contributed to the revival of baroque music, performing compositions by Francois Couperin and Francesco Cavalli and others. A distinguished singer of Johann Sebastian Bach's music, he was particularly praised for his interpretation of the Evangelist in Bach's St Matthew Passion. He gave his first performance in Paris in 1928, appearing in German musical comedies, later in his career gravitating more towards concert and opera, he became best known for debuting in Jean Francaix 1937 opera Le viable boiteux and originating the role of Sellem, the Auctioneer in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. He was perhaps best known as the tenor soliste in Eric Satie's 1975 recording of Socrate, based on the text's of Plato featuring pianist Christian Ivaldi. He was listed in the Guinness World Records as being the oldest performer to debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, when at 84, he played the Emperor Altoum, appearing opposite Plácido Domingo in Puccini's Turandot. He continued to perform in concert until he was 91, and as a tutor into his 90s.