Koval
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Singer.
Born Kovalsky, under his mother's name, and recognised by his father in 1910, he was only Koval on the café-concert posters. He created the role of the conductor Olivier Métra in Ciboulette, Reynaldo Hahn's operetta, in 1923, and appeared in Jean Renoir's Nana. What remains above all is “Sous les palétuviers”, a duet sung with Pauline Carton that France went on singing for thirty years.
The story
Born in Paris in 1885 to an unknown father, he bore his mother's name, Kovalsky, until his father acknowledged him in 1910: he then became officially René Renouard-Larivière. On the café-concert posters he stayed simply Koval.
Theatre and operetta gave him his parts: he played the conductor Olivier Métra in the first run of Ciboulette, Reynaldo Hahn's operetta, in 1923, and moved into film in Jean Renoir's Nana in 1926.
One duet remains, and it is immortal: “Sous les palétuviers”, which he sang with Pauline Carton in Toi, c'est moi, the operetta Moisés Simóns brought to the stage in 1934. Two voices answering each other, a cardboard tropics, and a refrain France has never stopped humming.
He was made a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1935.
He died on 17 August 1936 and lies in Division 89, avenue Transversale n°3, eleventh row, with his wife Gabrielle Saugon, known as Gaby Benda (1888-1976), who outlived him by forty years.
The grave
A simple stone, whose interest lies in the names: it gives for each the civil identity and the stage name. “René RENOUARD-LARIVIERE known as KOVAL 1885-1936” — the man had been born Kovalsky, under his mother's name, and was recognised by his father only in 1910, at twenty-five. And “Gabrielle RENOUARD-LARIVIERE known as Gaby BENDA née SAUGON 1888-1976”: three names for a woman who outlived him by forty years.
On site, do not miss
The inscription keeps both identities, the civil register and the poster: “René RENOUARD-LARIVIERE known as KOVAL”. The same device for his wife, “Gabrielle RENOUARD-LARIVIERE known as Gaby BENDA née SAUGON”.
Visitors' questions
Where is Koval's grave?
In Division 89, Avenue Transversale No. 3, eleventh row, beneath a plain stone bearing his real name and his stage name. His wife Gaby Benda (1888-1976) rests there with him. The Division is that of Oscar Wilde and Georges Courteline.
Oscar WildeWhat is “Sous les palétuviers”?
The duet he sang with Pauline Carton in the operetta Toi, c'est moi, which Moisés Simóns gave in 1934: two voices answering each other over a cardboard-cut-out exoticism. The refrain travelled through thirty years of French chanson and remains the song his name is attached to.
Michel Legrand, Division 44What roles did Koval play?
He created the role of the conductor Olivier Métra in Ciboulette, Reynaldo Hahn's operetta, in 1923, appeared in Jean Renoir's Nana in 1926, and topped the bill at the Paris cafés-concerts. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1935.
Charles LecocqWhat was Koval's real name?
René Kovalsky, under his mother's name, until his father recognised him in 1910: he then became René Renouard-Larivière. The stone bears both: “René RENOUARD-LARIVIERE dit KOVAL 1885-1936”, and beside it his wife's, “Gaby BENDA née SAUGON”.
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