Jennie Tourel

About

Born: June 22, 1900 - Vitebsk, Russia
Died: November 23, 1973 - New York, USA

The prominent Russian-born American, Jennie Tourel (real name, Davidovich), played first flute, then studied piano. After the Revolution, her family left Russia and settled temporarily near Danzig. They later moved to Paris, where she continued to study piano and contemplated a concert career. She then began to take voice lessons with Anna El-Tour, and decided to devote herself to professional singing. She changed her last name to Tourel by transposing the syllables of her teacher’s name.

Jennie Tourel made her operatic debut at the Opéra Russe in Paris in 1931. Then she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in May 1937, as Mignon. In 1937, just before the occupation of Paris by Nazi troops, she went to Lisbon, and eventually emigrated to the USA. She appeared on the Metropolitan Opera roster in 1943-1945 and 1946-1947. She became naturalized American citizen in 1946. In 1951 she created the role of Baba the Turk in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress in Venice.

In later years, Jennie Tourel devoted herself to recitals and orchestra engagements, excelling particularly in French repertoire. She also taught at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, and at the Aspen (Colorado) School of Music.

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