Roux was the son of a printer for medicinal packaging and worked with his father. As a rugby player, he often sang at post-match meals. His father encouraged him to take vocal training, which he began after having broken an arm during a match. Roux studied at the
Bordeaux Conservatoire and in Paris, making his operatic debut on 5 October 1949 in
Lakmé at the
Opéra-Comique, going on to sing in ''
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Manon and Pelléas and Mélisande'', creating l'Aveugle in
Madame Bovary in 1951, and remaining a principal singer there until 1955. His debut at
La Scala came in 1953 as Golaud, a role that became central to his repertory. From 1956 to 1970 Roux sang annually at
Glyndebourne, making his debut as Count Almaviva in
Le Nozze di Figaro. His American debut was at the
Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1959; he also appeared at the
Vienna Staatsoper and the
Deutsche Oper in Berlin, as well as in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Lisbon. Roux was known as an intelligent singer and a vivid stage actor. His many recordings include: Raimbaud (
Le Comte Ory), Escamillo (
Carmen), Golaud (
Pelléas et Mélisande), Mizgir (
The Snow Maiden), Gondremarck (
La Vie parisienne), Calchas (
La belle Hélène), and Mephistophélès (
La damnation de Faust). == References ==