A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ugalde, Delphine
UGALDE, Delphine, née Beaucé, was born on Dec. 3, 1829, at Paris or at Larne. She received instruction in singing from Madame Moreau-Sainti, and in 1848 made her début as Angela in 'Le Domino Noir' at the Opéra Comique where she became a great favourite. Her repertoire included Henriette in Auber's 'L'Ambassadrice,' and characters in many new operas by A. Thomas, Halévy, Massé, etc. On June 12, 1851, she made her début at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, as Nefte on the production, in England, of Auber's 'L'Enfant Prodigue,' and during the season also played Corilla in Gnecco's 'La Prova,' but though favourably received, did not appear to her usual advantage. According to the 'Musical World,' June 14, 1851, she could 'execute passages with a facility rarely ever heard equalled or surpassed—she sings like a musician and a thorough artist, and in her acting betokens singular esprit and fine comic powers.' Chorley considered that with all her vocal cleverness and audacity, and a dash of true dramatic instinct here and there, she was always an unattractive singer. A want of refinement as distinct from accuracy or finish ran through all her performances; she was too conscious, too emphatic and too audacious; she came with great ambitions to make her first appearance as Semiramide with not one solitary requisite, save command over any given number of notes in a roulade.' In 1853 she retired for a time from the Opéra Comique, through loss of voice, and played at the Variétés, but returned Jan. 26, 1857, as Eros on the production of Psyche (Thomas). In 1859–60 she sang at the Lyrique as Suzanne ('Le Nozze'), and in 'La Fée Carabosse' (Massé) and 'Gil Blas' (Semet) on their production. She afterwards sang in opera bouffe, and, with her second husband Varcollier, for a short time undertook the management of the Bouffes Parisiens.' She is now living in retirement. She also devoted herself to teaching, among her pupils being Madame Marie Sass; also her daughter,
Marguerite, who made a successful debut in 1880 at the Opéra Comique, in 'La Fille du Regiment,' and played Nicklausse on the production of Contes d'Hoffman' (Offenbach), and was recently singing at the Nouveautés.