Victor Maurel

1848–1923 · French · baritone

Birthplace: Marseille, France

Victor Maurel was a French baritone, admired less for his voice than for his breath control and acting, whom Verdi chose to create Iago in Otello and the title role of Falstaff after hearing him in the revised Simon Boccanegra of 1881. After the Paris Conservatoire he made his debut in Marseille in 1867. He also created Cacico in Gomes's Il Guarany and Tonio in Pagliacci. In London he was the first Telramund and Wolfram, and in New York the first American Amonasro. From 1879 to 1894 he sang at the Paris Opéra. From 1909 he taught in New York.

Creations

Sir John Falstaff — Falstaff (Milan, 1893)
Sir John Falstaff — Falstaff (Rome, 1893)
Sir John Falstaff — Falstaff (Paris, 1894)
Jago — Otello (Milan, 1887)
Iago — Otello (Paris, 1894)
Simon Boccanegra — Simon Boccanegra (Milan, 1881)

Written from

Rosenthal, H. (1992) 'Maurel, Victor', in Sadie, S. (ed.) The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference, vol. 3, pp. 274-275.
Wikipedia (2026) Victor Maurel. (Accessed: 29 September 2026).