# New biography of Leon Escalaïs just published



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

http://www.edilivre.com/le-tenor-leonce-escalais-1e8cda3cb3.html#.VDZgD6dwYsI

I just found this book when I was looking for something else and I thought I would share it with you- hope I'm posting this in the right section of the forum. I know from bitter experience that biographies of golden age singers can frequently become impossible to obtain once out of print, so I've ordered this today! It's only 200- odd pages, which seems a little skimpy for such an important artist, who lived to a ripe old age as well. Still, I've no doubt it will provide me with hours of delight- for which, read 'hours hunched over an English-French dictionary making copious pencil notes in the margins'.

Escalaïs really was a vocal miracle and his records are in remarkable sound for the period. Anyone on here who hasn't heard him should get on to YouTube right now and have a listen!

Here's a good one:


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Here's a picture of the cover, with Escalaïs as Arnold.

I don't think he ever used the "Leonce" version of his name, did he? Not that singers used first names much in those days, hence frequent confusion over whether to use a given name or some preferred version of it, or nickname, stage name or middle name when they were known by that instead.


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