Victor Warot
(1834-1906)

The Belgian opera singer Victor Alexandre Warot began his career as a lyric tenor but grew into a fine dramatic singer. He was particularly known for his portrayal of Wagner and Meyerbeer heroes.

He is seen here dressed as Aménophis, the son of Pharaoh, in Rossini's Moïse et Pharaon, ou, Le passage de la Mer Rouge.

According to the correspondent of the Musical World (16 January 1864): 'M. Warot, doubtless over-anxious about his music, was incapable of singing on the second night, and thus Moise was laid aside until the tenor had recovered [...] I missed those high vibrating tones with which Tamberlik had such an electric effect, and which seem to be necessary to the music. M. Warot exceeded himself to the utmost, but he was either incompetent or unwell - possibly the latter.' The same correspondent later reported: 'The singing of M. Warot, who had entirely recovered, and seemed, moreover, all the better for his rest, was quite another affair than that of the first night, and no doubt he will improve further still, after a few performances.'