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Born: December 1933 - Bohol, Philippines
Died: January 31, 1994 - Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA |
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The Filipino-born Ameican baritone, Eugene (Gene), was the son of Inez Boucher and grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri in the USA. He studied voice and English literature at Westminster College in Missouri, and afterwards pursued further studies in literature in France as a Fulbright Fellow. He then entered the Conservatoire de Lille where he earned a diploma in vocal performance.
Gene Boucher began his professional performance career with the St. Louis Municipal Opera while still a student at Westminster. In 1958 he won the American Opera Auditions, which led to his European debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan as the Sacristan in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca in August of that year. In 1962 he was the bass soloist in J.S. Bach's St John Passion (BWV 245) with conductor Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. In 1964 he was the bass soloist in the USA premiere of Charpentier's Assumpta est Maria with the New York Choral Society and conductor Martin Josman at The Town Hall. He won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1964. That same year he was awarded 2nd prize in the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation's singing competition.
In June 1965. Gene Boucher made his first appearance with the Metropolitan Opera as Baron Douphol in La traviata at Lewisohn Stadium with Anna Moffo as Violetta and George Schick conducting. The following September he made his first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera House as the Master of Ceremonies in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. His career was chiefly associated with the Metropolitan Opera. He appeared with the Met over the next 20 consecutive seasons (1965-1984), in more than 1,000 performances, in nearly fifty more roles (mainly comprimario roles), including the Captain in Manon Lescaut, the Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, Dancaïre in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, Fléville in Andrea Chénier, Haly in L'italiana in Algeri, Hermann in The Tales of Hoffmann, Javelinot in Francis Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites, Jim Larkens in La fanciulla del West, Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Masetto in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni, Ned Keene in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, Pâris in Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, Ping in Turandot, Schaunard in La bohème, Sciarrone in Tosca, the Shepherd in Pelléas et Mélisande, Silvano in Un ballo in maschera, the Surgeon in La forza del destino, Wagner in C. Gounod's Faust, and Zuàne in La Gioconda among others. His final appearance with the company was as the Card Player in Arabella on March 17, 1984. In 1966 he created the role of Dolabella in the world premiere of Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra.
In addition to his work as a performer. Boucher served as the national executive secretary of the American Guild of Musical Artists, was a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and was on the board of the National Music Council. He also served as a judge for the Metropolitan Opera auditions. |
