Marcel Merkès

Marcel Merkès was a French singer and actor born as Marcel Élie René Merkès on July 7, 1920, in Bordeaux. He achieved professional recognition for a musical career characterized by opérette and for performing as a duo with his wife the musician Paulette Merval. Merkès achieved professional recognition for a career that began after he studied at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Bordeaux where he received several prizes for singing. He achieved professional recognition for his professional debut at age 22 at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in the role of Des Grieux in the opera Manon (1942). Merkès and Merval achieved professional recognition for performing together in over 10,500 shows during their career. His discography included the opérette Rêve de valse (1947) and the opérette Violettes impériales (1948) performed at the Théâtre Mogador. He achieved professional recognition for performing at theaters including the Théâtre du Châtelet and appearing in variety programs on television during the 1960s and 1980s. Merkès died on March 30, 2007, in Pessac.