Elena Ruszkowska (Soprano) (Lviv 1877 – Cracow 1948)

                                                              Brunnhilde

She made her debut in 1900 at the opera house of Lviv in Flotow’s ‘’Martha’’. She had married Marcel Zboinski and appeared in Poland as Elena Zboinska-Ruszkowska. On 4. 10. 1900 she sang in the premiere of the opera ‘’Janek’’ of  Wladyslaw  Zelenski. In 1906 she sang in Warsaw in the premiere of the opera ‘’Maria’’ of  Roman Statkowski. In 1904 she gave a very successful concert in Vienna, in 1906 she performed there in Verdi’s ‘’Aida’’. After the separation, she married in Vienna (1907) the secretary of the Austrian Minister of Finance Dr. Ferdinand Seeliger. The same year she guested at La Scala, Milan Scala as Gutrune in ‘’Gotterdammerung’’opposite Felia Litvinne who sang the role of Brunnhilde. In the 1908-09 season she appeared again at La Scala, but this time  as Elena in ‘’Mefistofele’’ of Boito with Fedor Schaljapin in the title part. In 1909 she made guest appearance at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo. Since 1910 she appeared in famous italian opera theatres, also in Spain and South America. In 1910 she sang at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the next year once more at La Scala in ‘’Aida’’, one of her star roles.  From 1919 to 1928 she was a mamber of the Warsaw Opera and probably after 1923 she has appeared only in Poland. Her career lasted very much long; still in 1938 she given a concert. Later she was a  highly respected pedagogue in Cracow.

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Milano Teatro alla Scala Cristoforo Colombo (Iguamota)

1909 Madrid Teatro Reale Otello (Otello)

1910 Madrid  Teatro Reale Mefistofele (Elena)

1911 Siena  Teatro della Lizza Mefistofele (Elena)

1912 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Mefistofele (Elena)

1920 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

1920 Montevideo Teatro Solis Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

1921 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Municipal Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

1921 Torino Teatro Regio Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

1921 Bologna Teatro Comunale Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

1922 Parigi Teatro Champs Elysees Tristano e Isotta (Isotta)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-21

Aida (Verdi): La tra foreste vergine with Carlo Barrera 054254 1790c

Aida (Verdi): Morir, si pura e bella with Carlo Barrera 054255 1791c

Victor, USA 1909-04-21

Aida (Verdi): Rivedrai le foreste with Giuseppe Maggi 89152 1792c

Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-23

Ernani (Verdi): Ernani involami 53568 13110b

Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-24

Forza del destino (Verdi): La vergine degli angeli w. chorus 053237 1807c

Victor, USA 1909-04-27

Aida (Verdi): Su del Nilo with Maria Cappiello, Giovanni Davi, Giuseppe Quinzi-Tapergi and chorus  89155 1808c

Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-27

Aida (Verdi): Immenso Fthа... O terra addio with Carlo Barrera and chorus 054261 1809c

Stabat Mater (Rossini): Inflammatus 053250  1813c

Gramophone, Milano 1909-11-01

Aida (Verdi): Fu la sorte dell'armi with Bianca Lavin de Casas 054272 1860c

Aida (Verdi): Ebben, qual nuovo fremito with Bianca Lavin de Casas 054273 1861c

Aida (Verdi): Pietа ti prenda with Bianca Lavin de Casas 054276 1862c

Aida (Verdi): Dessa! Ei si turba... Ohime di guerra with Lavin de Casas and Egidio Cunego 054274 1863c

Gioconda (Ponchielli): L'amo come il fulgor delcreato with Bianca. Lavin de Casas 054271 1864c

Gramophone, Milano 1909-11-02

Tosca (Puccini): Qual occhio al mondo with Egidio Cunego 054269 1866c

Tosca (Puccini): Vissi d’rte Gramophone 053243 1865c

Tosca (Puccini): Senti l’ora e vicina with Egidio Cunego 054270 1867c
Tosca (Puccini): E non giungono with Egidio Cunego 54413, 13830b

Tosca (Puccini): Ora stammi a sentir... Non la sospiri with Egidio Cunego 054268 1868c

Parlophon

Halka (Moniuszko): Gdyby rannem slonkiem P.64657b  2-40036

Odeon

Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 (Chopin) AA 53099  xxWa 84

Lohengrin (Wagner): Weselny przebrzmial spiew with Stanislaw Gruszczynski