Olive Fremstad (Mezzo-Soprano/Soprano) (Stockholm, Sweden 1871 - Irvington, New York, USA 1951)

Her real name was Olivia Rundquist. Her father was a doctor. Already as a child she played the organ. Ten years old she came to the USA and was adopted by an american couple. Quite young she appeared as pianist, then she studied singing under E. F. Bristol in New York. In 1890 she sang in Boston the part of Lady Saphir in operetta ‘’Patience’’ by Sullivan. In 1891 she gave her first professional concert at the New York Lenox Lyceum. In 1893 she came to Europe and became a pupil of Lilli Lehmann. She made her debut in 1895 at the Opernhaus of Cologne as Azucena in ‘’Trovatore’’. After her retirement she taught singing in New York.

Chronology of some appearances

1893-1895 Cologne Opernhaus  Trovatore (Azucena) (Debut)

1896 Bayreuth Festival

1900-1903 Munich Hofoper

1902-1903 London Covent Garden Lohengrin (Ortrud)

1903 Bayreuth Festival

1903 New York Metropolitan Opera Walküre Sieglinde (Debut)

1906 New York Metropolitan Opera Carmen (Carmen)

1906 San Francisco Opera Carmen (Carmen)

1907 New York Metropolitan Opera Salome (Salome) (American Premiere)

1907 Paris Théâtre Châtelet

1910-1914 New York Metropolitan Opera Armida (Armida)

1910 Paris Grand Opéra Armida (Armida)

1918 Minneapolis Opera Tosca (Tosca)

1920 New York Aeolian Hall Concert

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, New York 1911-01-21
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich, teure Halle 30635 A5281

Columbia, New York 1911-01-30
Lohengrin (Wagner): Elsas Traum 30645 A5281

Columbia, New York 1911-01-31
Carmen (Bizet): Seguidilla 30646 A5282

Columbia, New York 1913-10-23
Tosca (Puccini): Ora stammi a sentir A1505 39061

Columbia, New York 1913-10-28
Walküre (Wagner): Ho-yo-to-ho A1451 39073