LIVINE (LIVIA) MERTENS (ANTWERPEN 1901 – ? 1968)

Trained by Maurice Declery, this distinguished singer made her concert debut in 1921 in Antwerp. She joined the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels in 1923, where her first role was Frédéric in Mignon by Ambroise Thomas. She enjoyed a remarkable career at Belgium’s premier opera house for over two decades, remaining active until 1945. She starred in numerous French-speaking premières, including Jaroslavna in Borodin’s Prince Igor (1924), the Composer in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos (1930), and roles in 20th-century operas such as Les précieuses ridicules by Lattuada (1932), La farsa amorosa by Zandonai (1933), and Felice in Milhaud’s Les Malheurs d’Orphée (1938). Her signature role was the title character in Mignon, which she performed around 140 times. Other notable roles included Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther, and Marguerite in Boieldieu’s La Dame blanche. She also found success in operetta, playing the Grand Duchess in Offenbach’s La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein, Sonja in Léhar’s Der Zarewitsch, and Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus.

Married to conductor Maurice Bastin, who worked in Marseille and Brussels, she also made a courageous stand during WWII by joining an opposition group against the German occupation, leading to her imprisonment for several months.

TRACKLIST

1. Boccace (von Suppé) Chanson De ce côté, voyez ce beau garçon LF 65 WLB 326 Columbia
2. Carmen (Bizet) Habanera F373 89257 Edison Bell
3. Carmen (Bizet) Pres des remparts de Seville F 373 89258 Edison Bell
4. Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss) L’honneur insigne m’est échu with Annette Taillefer RF X27 LB X77 Columbia
5. Hansel et Gretel (Humperdinck) Joli château-gâteau with Anna Talifert RFX 27 LBX 78 Columbia
6. La Dame Blanche (Boieldieu) D’ici voyez ce beau domaine RF 29 WLB 128 Columbia
7. La Dame de Pique (Tchaikovsky) Romance de Pauline RF 19 WLB66 Columbia
8. La grande duchesse de Gérolstein (Offenbach) Couplets Voici le sabre de mon père RF 29 WLB 127 Columbia
9. La route d’émeraude Berceuse Lorsque tu étais tout petit (La mère Barent)  RF 19 WLB18 Columbia
10. La vida breve (de Falla) Acte II 1er tableau Danse D11092 52002 Columbia
11. La vida breve (de Falla) Acte II 2e tableau Danse D11092 52001 Columbia
12. L’enfant et les sortilèges (Ravel) Cake-Walk LF96 LB216 Columbia
13. L’enfant et les sortilèges (Ravel) L’Arithmétique LF96 LB217 Columbia
14. Mignon (Thomas) Connaistu le pays RFX 30 LBX 73 Columbia
15. Plaisir suprême (Hillier) Valse RF 64 WLB 331 Columbia
16. Romeo et Juliette (Gounod) Chanson de Stephano RFX30 LBX 74 Columbia
17. Romeo et Juliette (Gounod) Chanson Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle F 374 89260 Edison Bell
18. Rose des roses Berceuse (Moret) Columbia RF 64 WLB 324
19. Up me up, Danse américaine extraite du Grand divertissement du ballet Hopjes en Hopjes (Lauweryns) DF 348 WLB 94 Columbia
20. Valse de Colin-Maillard, extraite du ballet Gretna Green (1re partie, n° 14) (Guiraud) DF 348 WLB 96 Columbia
21. Werther (Massenet) Les Larmes 89259 F374 Edison Bell