Greatest Opera Singers

Greatest Opera Singers

Monday, March 24, 2014

Melitta Heim (Soprano) (Vienna 1888 – London 1950)




She studied singing under Johannes Ress in Vienna and made her stage debut in 1909 at the Municipal Theatre of Graz as Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’. In 1911, after a successful guest performance in ‘’Traviata’’, she was engaged by the Frankfurt a. M., to which she belonged till 1916. Several times she made guest appearances at the Vienna Court Opera as well as in 1912 and 1914 as Queen of the Night in ‘’The Magic flute’’ at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. In the 1917-22 season she had at the Vienna State Opera a huge success. She suffered a nervous breakdown and forced to retire from  the stage in 1922. She appeared then at the concert hall. In 1938 together with her mother she went to England. In London she was active as a singing teacher.

Chronology of some appearances

1909 Graz Municipal Theatre
1911-1916 Frankfurt a. M. Opera House
1912 London Drury Lane Theatre The Magic flute (Queen of the Night)
1914 London Drury Lane Theatre The Magic flute (Queen of the Night)
1917-1922 Vienna State Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Edison 4-min cylinders, Berlin 1911?
Frühlingsstimmen (Strauss) BA 28149

OdeonBerlin 1913
Traviata (Verdi): s' ist seltsam 76356 xxB5830
Traviata (Verdi): O Torheit 76357 xxB5831
Lakme (Delibes): Glöckchen-Arie 76360 xxB5834
Mignon (Thomas): Polonaise 76463 xxB6043

OdeonBerlin 1914
Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Puppenarie 76579 xxB6189
Martha (Flotow): Duett with Robert Hutt 80108 xxB6201
Martha (Flotow): Letzte Rose with Robert Hutt 80109 xxB6202
Peer Gynt (Grieg): Solveigs Lied 76580 xxB6205


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