Leon Cazauran (Tenor) (Bayonne 1879 - ?)
Probably he made his debut in France. In 1905 he appeared at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in ''I racconti di Hoffmann'' of Offenbach with Maria Farneti (Antonia/Giulietta), Amelia Karola (Olimpia), Luisa Garibaldi (Nicklausse/madre) and Angelo Scandiani (Coppelio/dr.Miracolo/Dappertutto). The next year, he sang at the Teatro Regio in Parma in ‘’Werther’’ with Elisa Petri (Carlotta), Giuseppe Giardini (Alberto) and Silvio Becucci (Johann). One of his pupils was french tenor Charles Burles
Something curious seems to be going on with opera tenors in the monkey house at New York’s Central Park; perhaps there’s an atmosphere that lends itself to “annoying” people, for the problem of mashers at the monkey house has even inspired a 1907 movie by Biograph.
Luckily, Detective J.J. Cain is on the lookout for malefactors who make lewd advances, having arrested Enrico Caruso the year before.
Cain’s latest arrests are Leon Cazauran, “a slender young man with pale face and large brown eyes” brought to New York to sing in “Thais” at Oscar Hammerstein’s Manhattan Operahouse, and his companion, Claude Modjeska, “a copper-colored young man,” The Times says.
“The charge against both was that of attempting to corrupt the morals of little boys,” The Times says. Cain said he was suspicious of the men because they had visited the monkey house several times before “in the company of small boys.”
Despite the language handicap (Cazauran didn’t speak English and while Modjeska only knew a bit of English, he was able to act as a translator) the men protested their innocence. Modjeska was fined $10 and the men vanished.
Nov. 17, 1907 New York by direct wire to The Times
Chronology of some appearances
1905 Teatro Costanzi Rome I racconti di Hoffmann (Hoffmann)
1906 Teatro Regio Parma Werther (Werther)
1907 Modena Teatro Municipale Werther (Werther)
1908 New York Manhattan Opera House Siberia (Vassili)
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
Werther: Ah! Non mi ridestar G&T 52163 2348L
Mignon: Ah! non credevi tu G&T 52164 2349L
