Paul Dufault, tenor — Piano & Theory Lessons

By Datch78 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2650394

Paul Default

He was a Canadian tenor who toured Canada, United States, Australia, China, Philippines and New Zealand. He lived in New York for a period of time and gave singing lessons there when not on tour.

In 1898 on 17th September the Fitchburg Sentinel encourages their readers to come to a concert given by Paul C. W. Dufault. He is listed as the phenomenal young tenor with the famous “Three Bostonians” Music Hall.

The Alaska Citizen on 3rd March 1913 informs their readers that ‘Paul Dufault, the Canadian tenor and Eleanora de Cisneros have just returned from a tour in Australia. They speak very highly of the remarkable interest in music which the Australians take, and of the cordial reception extended to visiting artists from abroad’.

The Timaru Herald dated 3rd May 1916 informs their readers that ‘this great temperamental artist first appeared in Dunedin with the late Madame Nordica’s concert party, and then twice toured the dominion with a company of his own, his last concert given here in April 1914. In the interval he has been touring in the United States and Canada, with concert parties and also giving song recitals. In a song recital the artist is called on to supply the whole programme, and Mr Dufault has given as many as 25 items in an evening, taking groups of English, French, Italian and German compositions thus demonstrating the different schools of music. He had prepared an entirely new programme for his tour of New Zealand and Australia. In this article in the Timaru Herald he states that he reviewed about 2000 songs and for his programme he choose 70 of them. Also he stated that he would sings a few of his old favourites such as ‘Au Pays’ (a French march song) and ‘Invictus’. Dufault’s definition of a good song was one where the words came out, the music was the accompaniment to the words. His belief was that it was impossible to interpret a song where the words were not up to standard. Dufault loved the old English ballads and that composers from the United States were no composing songs that were raising the level of the United States songs from the tawdry musical hall variety to one that could compare favourably to the English ballad.

Dufault arrived in New Zealand on March 23rd in 1916; it seems he gave some concerts in Christchurch in early May before returning at the beginning of June 1916. After his series of concerts in New Zealand he departed for Australia. The article in the Star dated the 27th May 1916 states that DuFault’s programmes are largely sung in English however at times he sings a French Song. If this is the case, the translation is given in the programme. This is the case in this programme, as the translations are provided for a few of the songs.

The Ashburton Guardian dated 9th May 1916 states ‘just as the large audience was leaving Paul Dufault’s concert last evening they were startled by a large crash on the stage. Looking back, they perceived that all the property and scenery encircling the stage had tumble over and lay flat on the stage. It was fortunate that these dilapidated appointments and fixtures did not fall during the concert, of the result could have been more serious. As it was, little damage was done and nobody was hurt’. The same paper had a review of the concert. It mentions that Mr Dufault had improved ‘his art very considerably in the two years since he was last heard in the city. The review covers all of the songs that he sang. It states ‘the power, grace and manliness of the singer, the true ring of sentiment expressed in an infinite variety of subtle inflections, and the admirably clear enunciation, all combined to a well-nigh perfect ensemble’. It also mentioned that Pauline Bindley had gained in confidence and sung her songs with more ease than before. Florence Scapini played for the first time in front of an Ashburton audience. In addition to the above, the accompanist is complimented on his playing – ‘never obtrusive and supporting of the player; his work throughout the evening was admirable and contributed in a great measure to the success achieved by the artists’.

The Lyttelton Times on the 3rd May 1916 has an interesting article concerning Paul Dufault. It informs their readers that Mr Dufault ‘smokes a cherrywood pipe, abhors gush, cant and insincerity, and speaks his mind fearlessly and sensibly’. It states that some of his success is due to him being a shrewd businessman, ‘with a keen appreciation of the tastes and capacity of his public’. Dufault believes that it is very hard to build a programme, much harder than it is to sing it. His belief that if a song is to part of his programme it should not be showy, rather it should have a more human appeal. He belief is to have a programme that has progression, contrast, sustained interest and a climax. Dufault obviously had a lot of new music sent to him. In his opinion that at the time of the interview English song-writing had deteriorated and that the songs that were written in the United States were of a superior standard to those in England. He also states that the compositions of Elgar had had a profound effect on the composers in the United States. Dufault was clearly not a fan of the music of Debussy or Strauss. Dufault then went on to discuss the fact that there was no proper training for vocal students in New Zealand.

The Newark Advocate dated January 6th 1917 states ‘not the least notable among Columbia’s recent exclusive vocal acquisitions is Paul Dufault. He gained considerable fame when singing tenor roles with the old Manhattan Opera company. His enunciation is considered flawlessly perfect’.

The 18th April 1923 Fitchburg Sentinel informs their readers ‘Paul Dufault, the celebrated French tenor, will sing in city hall tomorrow evening. Mr Dufault, who is on a trans-continental tour, will sing four sets of beautiful operatic selections. He is a former member of the Metropolitan Opera company, was soloist at the Worcester festival concerts and was also with the Victor Herbert orchestra in New York’.

A review of this concert was inserted into the Fitchburg Sentinel dated 20th April 1923 ‘Mr Dufault got a most inspiring ovation immediately after his first group. All of his selections were in French except those that were in his third group. Mr Dufault’s voice was wonderfully strong and clear and the ability with which he was able to put feeling into the notes was one of the most remarkable things about his work’.

Another article appears in the Press dated 30th May 1916 which informs their readers that ‘he is not only a singer of remarkable gifts, but he has the most valuable asset of all – he understands his audiences and gives them just what they want to hear. On his programmes there is always one big operatic aria to show what the tenor really can do in the great music of the world. But the Dufault ballads are very different from the ordinary concert song. They are almost all strong dramatic compositions, giving a glimpse of some poignant emotion of life’.

Born 10.12.1872 in Quebec and died 20.06.1930, buried in Quebec, Canada. He was of French descent.

A lake in Quebec was named in his memory in 1998.