Marthe Duvivier

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Marthe Louise Ernestine Duvivier (27 April 1850, Paris – 28 May 1933, Paris) was a French mezzo-soprano who sang at major opera houses in Paris, Brussels, and Nantes. She studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, where she won first prize. On 19 December 1881 she premiered the title role of Salomé in Massenet’s Hérodiade at La Monnaie in Brussels, later joining the composer at a dinner after the performance. She made her Paris Opera debut on 20 June 1883 as Valentine in Les Huguenots by Meyerbeer.

Duvivier sang many important roles, including Selika in L’Africaine and Berthe in Le prophète; she also performed Ortrud in Lohengrin, Inez in La favorite, Leonora in Il trovatore, Marguerite in La damnation de Faust, and Margherita in Mefistofele. She also performed music by Augusta Holmès. Massenet praised her talent, reputation, and beauty.

She married an inventor and had a daughter, Marguerite; her grandson was archaeologist Max Mallowan. Later she translated English novels into French under the pen name Luce Gritte.