Victor Capoul and Marie Heilbronn by Nadar

Joseph-Amédée-Victor Capoul (1839-1924); French tenor. He made his debut in 1861 in Adam's "Le Calet" at the Opéra-Comique where he stayed until 1870. From 1870 to 1879 he performed in London at the Italian Opera and at Covent garden. He sang at various premières:in Massenet's "La Grand'Tante" (1867), in Auber's "Le premier jour de bonheur" (1868), in Offenbach's "Vert-Vert" (1869) and the title-role in Massé's "Paul et Virginie" (1876). His only gramophone-recording is “La berceuse de Jocelyn” (1905).

Marie Heilbronn (1851-1886); Belgian soprano. She made her debut in 1867 at the Opéra-Comique Paris in the première of Massenet's first opera "La Grand'Tante". She created the role of Bibletto in Offenbach's "Les braconniers" (1873), Violetta Tiepolo in Salvayre's "Le Bravo", the title-role in Massenet's "Manon"(1884) and Cléopâtre in Massé's "Une nuit de Cléopâtre" (1885).

On the photo Victor Capoul is seen as Paul and Marie Heilbronn as Virginie in Massé's "Paul et Virginie". Victor Capoul created this role with Cécile Ritter as Virginie, who was later replaced by Marie Heilbronn.