Emma Calvé

Emma Calvé (born Aug. 15, 1858, Decazeville, France—died Jan. 6, 1942, Millau) was a French operatic soprano famed for her performances in the title role of Georges Bizet’s Carmen.

Calvé spent her early years in Spain. She studied principally under Mathilde Marchesi, one of the most influential voice teachers of the era. A fine actress, she trained herself by long observation of the performances of Eleanora Duse. After her debut at Brussels (1882) as Marguerite in Charles Gounod’s Faust, she won fame for her portrayals of Santuzza in Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and as Ophelia in Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet. Her interpretation of Carmen, noted for its dramatic realism, was long considered the model. In 1925 she retired from the stage to teach. She wrote an autobiography, Sous tous les ciels j’ai chanté (1940; “I’ve Sung Under Every Sky”).