Elena Dragulinescu - Stinghe (Soprano) (? 1881 - Bucharest 1970)

                                                             Cio-Cio-San

From 1901 to 1906 she studied singing at the Bucharest Conservatory under Charlota Laria (singing), D. Gh. Kiriac (theory, solfeggio, harmony, choir), C. Flesch (violin) and Aristizza Romanescu (dictiune). Additionally she studied singing under the famous Sopranos Elena Teodorini and also trained in Paris. In 1902 she made her debut at  the National Theatre in Bucharest as Philine in ‘’Mignon’’ of A. Thomas. She appeared in this Opera House till 1909. From 1909 to 1914 she performed with success in Paris, also in other French cities. Together with French singers she toured North America, Ukraine, Bessarabia and Belgium. During the First World War she returned to Romania. In the 1914-1915 season, she was a soloist at the Opera in Bucharest. Then sang at the Opera of Iasi (1916-1918). At the National Opera of Bucharest she was the lead singer for almost two decades, with the exception of one year (1927-1928), when she sang at the Opera in Cluj. She appeared in ‘’Lame’’, ‘’Madama Butterfly’’, ‘’Il barbiere di Siviglia’’, ‘’Rigoletto’’, ‘’Ballo in Maschera’’, ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’, ‘’Faust’’, ‘’Carmen’’, ‘’Don Pasquale’’,’’Bohème’’ etc. In 1940 she retired from the stage. She taught private lessons of singing, and between 1946 and 1948 he did the same thing at the Conservatory "Astra" in Bucharest.

Chronology of some appearances

1902-1909 Bucharest National Theatre 

1909-1914 Paris

1914-1915 Bucharest National Theatre

1916-1918 Iasi Opera House 

1927-1928 Cluj Opera 

RECORDING FOR SALE

Arena Record
Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome 2932

Bohumil Benoni (Baritone) (Chrudim 1862 - Weißwasser 1942)

                                                                Escamilio

First he studied under Anny Chrzová in Chrudim, then at opera school  of  J. L. Lukes in Prague. In 1882 he made his debut in Pragueas a concert singer. In 1883 he made his debut as comprimario (nightwatchman in ‘’Kolár Primátor’’) at the National Theatre and was so successful, that at the same year he  made his second debut as Valentin in C. Gounod’s  ‘’Faust’’. He was famous as Don Giovanni, which he also sang in 1887 in Prague. Already in 1885 he sang in Prague the role of Telramund in ‘’Lohengrin’’. In 1888 he appeared as Eugene Onegin in the Prager première of  P. Tchaikovsky’s opera ‘’Eugene Onegin’’, which was directed by the composer itself. He took part at the national Theatre in Praguein several premieres of operas; he sang on 12. 2. 1889 in ‘’Der Jakobiner’’ of A. Dvořák, on 31. 3. 1901 in ‘’Eva’’of  J. B. Forester and on 31. 3. 1901 in ‘’Rusalka’’ of Dvořák. Later he worked in Pragueas a pedagogue. He was married to known Czech actress Hanna Benoni (1868-1922).

Chronology of some appearances

1883 Prague National Theatre Kolár Primátor (Nightwatchman)

1885 Prague National Theatre Lohengrin (Telramund)

1887 Prague National Theatre Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni)

1888 Prague National Theatre Eugene Onegin (Eugene Onegin)

RECORDING FOR SALE

G&T, Praha 1906
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Prolog 72195 3648L
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Romance an den Abendstern 72146 3649L

Eugene Guszalewicz (Tenor) ( Lwów (Lemberg) 1867 - Köln 1907)

He studied singing at the conservatoire of Lviv under Walery Wysocki, then with J.Gänsbacher in Vienna. His stage debut took place in 1891 at the Opera House of Bratislava. Then he was engaged by the Municipal Theatres of Aachen and Brünn (Brno) and worked in the 1896-1902 seasons at the German Theatre in Prague. Here he sang among other things the title role in the première of the opera ‘’Der arme Heinrich’’ of Hans Pfitzner and appeared in 1901 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Der polnische Jude’’ of K. Weis. In 1896 he married to his pupil, soprano Alice Guszalewicz (1879-1940), who developed a very successful career. Since 1905 he was a member of the Cologne Opera House. The daughter Genia Guszalewicz (1902-71), had, like her parents, a successful opera career.

Chronology of some appearances

1891 Bratislava Opera House 

1896-1902 Prague German Theatre

1905 Cologne Opera House

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Zonophone, Wien 1902?

Prophète (Meyerbeer): Triumphgesang X-1635

Jan Berlík (Tenor) (Tábor 1892 - Praha 1972)

                                                                 Don Jose

He studied singing under E. Fuchs, K. Wallerstein, and C. Emmerich. Since 1925 he performed in Bratislava, from 1926 at the National Theatre in Prague, in 1927, he moved to Hamburg, and in the 1931-40 seasons, he sang again at the National Theatre.Berlík had a lovely soft voice with nice kantilena and an impressive stage appearance. His most notable roles were Jeník (Prodaná nevěsta), Alfredo (La Traviata), Don Carlo, Rodolfo (La Bohème), Cavaradossi (Tosca) and Don José (Carmen). In the 1950s he taught singing at the Prague Conservatory.

Chronology of some appearances

1925 Bratislava Opera House

1926 Prague National Theatre  

1927 Hamburg Opera House

1931-1940 Prague National Theatre

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Parlophon

Rigoletto (Verdi): O wie so trügerisch B11005 34331

Parlophon, Berlin 1927-10-13

Bohème (Puccini): Wie eiskalt ist dies Händchen P9198 2-20409

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Jetzt spielen P9198 2-20410

Odeon, Berlin 1927-10-13

Tosca (Puccini): Wie sich die Bilder gleichen O-6590 xxB7891

Tosca (Puccini): Und es blitzten die Sterne O-6590 xxB7892

Karel Burian (Carl Burrian) (Tenor) (Rousínov near Rakovník 1870 – Senomaty 1924)

                                                                    Canio

                                                                  Max

                                                                 Herodes

He was the older brother of operatic baritone Emil Burian and the uncle of composer Emil František Burian. Both brothers studied singing under Franz Pivoda in Prague. Inititially Burian had intended to become a lawyer and had attended Prague Universityfor a year in pursuit of this goal. However, a professor at the university heard his voice and encouraged him to pursue an operatic career, putting him in touch with Pivoda for lessons. He later pursued further vocal studies with Felix von Kraus in Munich.Burian made his professional opera debut as Jeník in Bedřich Smetana’s ‘’The Bartered Bride’’ at the opera house in Brno on 28 March 1891. The very next day he portrayed the title role in Smetana's ‘’Dalibor’’ to such outstanding success that he was offered a long-term contract with the Brno Opera. However, he sang only one other major role with the company, Manrico in Giuseppe Verdi's ‘’Il trovatore’’, before joining the opera house in Reval for the 1892-1893 season. He sang at the opera house in Aachen during the 1893-1894 season, notably appearing in the world premiere of Leo Blech's first opera, ‘’Aglaja’’ By the mid-1890s Burian was beginning to build a substantial reputation in Germany for the quality of his performances of the heldentenor repertoire. From 1894 to 1896 he was the leading Wagnerian tenor at the Cologne Opera. While there, he sang (among other things) in the world premieres of Karl von Kaskel's ‘’Sjula’’ (1895) and Arnold Mendelssohn's ‘’Elsi’’, ‘’die seltsame Magd’’ (1896). He left Cologne to take up a commitment to sing at the Staatsoper Hannover in 1896 to 1898, followed by a three-year term at the Hamburg State Opera in 1898-1901. He was also active at the Berlin State Opera during the 1898/99 season. By 1899, Burian had been engaged to appear at the best opera house of his home nation, the National Theatre in Prague. However, he did not remain for long with that theatre, as he was now a much-in-demand singer in Germany, where he could earn higher fees and greater prestige. For more than a decade prior to World War I, Burian was a leading and much-admired tenor at the Semperoper in Dresden, where he made a powerful impression as Herod in the world première of Richard Strauss’s ‘’Salome’’ in 1905. He later repeated the role for the first productions of ‘’Salome’’ in New York City and Paris (in 1907). The operas of Richard Wagner were Burian's major focus on the international stage. He notably sang Tristan in the Hungarian première of ‘’Tristan und Isolde’’, and also appeared as several of the principal Wagner heroes at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, during four seasons between 1904 and 1914. He also sang almost all of the major Wagner roles at the Metropolitan Opera, where he performed for seven seasons. In 1908, he made his only appearance at the Bayreuth Festival in the title role of Parsifal. Burian published his memoirs, Z mých pamětí, in 1913. Among other things, they contain his recollections of the composer/conductor Gustav Mahler and the conductor Arturo Toscanini. In 1920 Burian mistakenly drank bleach believing it to be mineral water and suffered severe burns to his mouth and larynx. The wounds eventually healed, but his voice never fully recovered. His last two performances at the National Theatre in Prague were in 1922 when he sang in ‘’Dalibor’’ and ‘’Tannhäuser’’. Two years later he died in Senomaty after a brief illness. He was 54. His death was marked by a black flag draped on the National Theatre. The Czech Philharmonic played Siegfried's funeral march from Twilight of the Gods. He was known for his powerful stage presence, and according music critic Desmond Shawe-Taylor, his voice was praised for its "golden quality" and the "penetrating clarity" of its tone. The latter quality is apparent in his early recordings despite their primitive technology.

Chronology of some appearances

1891 Brno Opera House

1892-1893 Reval Opera House

1893-1894 AachenOpera House

1894- 1896 CologneOpera

1896- 1898 Staatsoper Hannover

1898-1901 Hamburg State Opera

1898-1899 Berlin StateOpera
1899 Prague National Theatre

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

G&T, Berlin 1906-06
Lohengrin (Wagner): Höchstes Vertrauen 3-42585 1337r

G&T, Berlin 1907
Götterdämmerung (Wagner): Blühenden Lebens with Friedrich Plaschke 2-44319 3234r
Muette de Portici (Auber): Weit eher den Tod with Friedrich Plaschke 2-44320 3235r
Bohème (Puccini): Ach Geliebte, nie kehrst du mir wieder with Friedrich Plaschke 044074 258s
Forza del destino (Verdi): In dieser feierlichen Stunde with Friedrich Plaschke 044075 259s

Dimitrie Onofrei (Tenor) (Romania 1897 - Bethlehem/USA 1991)

                                                            Cavaradossi

                                                                    Duca

Cantante lirico di fama internazionale; cantò nei maggiori teatri di tutto il mondo. Dopo una breve carriera al Teatro dell' Opera di Bucarest, studiò come cantante t. al Conservatorio e al Teatro alla Scala di Milano- Debuttò nel 1922 al Teatro Reale di Malta nel Rigoletto di Giuseppe Verdi, nel ruolo del Duca di Mantova. Nel 1925 ci fu l'esordio negli Stati Uniti d'America, dove cantò per la prima volta al Teatro Century di New York. Dotato di una voce tenorile di rara estensione, la carriera di Dimitrie Onofrei fu tutta in ascesa e lo portò ad interpretare pressoché tutti i principali ruoli tenorili del melodramma. L'addio alle scene avvenne nel 1962. Divenne professore di canto al Conservatorio di Cincinnati (USA) e poi - fino al 1965 - di Chicago. Ha fatto innumerevoli incisioni discografiche. È morto il 20 marzo 1991 alla venerabile età di 93 anni a Bethlehem (Pennsylvania).

Cronologia

Rodolfo 11/1/1923, 11/18/1924, Le docteur Faust 11/21/1924, Lyonel 11/22/1924, Il duca di Mantova 11/28/1924, B. F. Pinkerton 11/29/1924, Alfredo Germont 5/4/1925, Le docteur Faust 10/21/1925, Hoffmann 10/24/1925, Turiddu 12/31/1925, Le docteur Faust 11/3/1926, Il duca di Mantova 11/5/1926, Rodolfo 2/28/1929, Turiddu 9/29/1930, 3/12/1931, B. F. Pinkerton 11/5/1931, Alfredo Germont 11/12/1931, Turiddu 12/3/1931, Grigory Otrepiev / Dimitri 12/10/1931, Mario Cavaradossi 1/7/1932, Le docteur Faust 2/25/1932, 8/24/1933, Il duca di Mantova 8/25/1933, Rodolfo 8/28/1933, Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood 8/29/1933, Lyonel 9/2/1933, Alfredo Germont 9/4/1933, Lohengrin 9/7/1933, Hoffmann 9/9/1933, 7/9/1934, Alfredo Germont 1/28/1941, Il duca di Mantova 1/31/1941 (Filadelfia)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Odeon, 1928
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Cielo e mar 127003

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola RA199902B Jo1472

Martha (Flotow): M'appari RA199902a Jo1460

Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna e mobile 199901
Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 199901

Sigismund Pilinsky (Tenor) (Budapest 1891 - Budapest 1963)

His real name  was Zsigmond Pilinszky. He studied singing at the conservatoire of Budapest, then under Mrs. Böhme-Köhler in Leipzig, in the end, with Konrad von Zawilowski in Berlin. He made his debut in 1912 at the Opera House of Miskolc and sang since 1913 at the Budapest National Opera to which he belonged till 1927. In 1928 he was engaged by the Städtische Operin Berlin. In 1928 he appeared with great success in Berlinas Johann von Leiden in Meyerbeer’s ‘’Prophet’’. In the 1930-1931 season at the Bayreuth Festival he performed in ‘’Tannhäuser’’. He guested successfully in Vienna, London, Chicago and San Francisco. Since 1932 he was engaged again by the Budapest National Opera and then worked there as a vocal pedagogue.

Chronology of some appearances

1912 MiskolcOpera House  

1913 BudapestNational Opera

1928 Berlin Städtische Oper

1930 Bayreuth Festival

1932 Budapest National Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-04-25
Prophète (Meyerbeer): Herr, dich in den Sternenkreisen (w. chorus) O-6809 xxB8063

Parlophon, Berlin 1928/1929
Lohengrin (Wagner): Mein lieber Schwan P9635-II 20736

Columbia
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Inbrunst im Herzen LWX WAX5716

Otakar Mařák (Tenor) (Esztergom 1872 – Prague 1939)

Rodolfo

                                                                Don Jose

He studied at the Prague Conservatory with Parsova-Zikesova. He made his debut in the title role of Charles Gounod’s opera ‘’Faust’’ on 1 February 1899 in Brno, Czech Republic. In the same year he was engaged by the National Theatre in Prague. From 1901, he performed abroad. He was a regular member of the National Theatre between 1899–1901 and again in 1903–1907. Thereafter he sang on this first Czech stage as a permanent guest. In 1907 he left for Paris, where he continued to school his voice. In 1903, Marak was engaged by the Hofper in Viennna. Due the initiative of Gustav Maler, in 1906, he became soloist at the Berlin Komische Opera. In 1908, Ottokar Marak made a successful debut at Covent Garden. There, he sang José, Turiddu, and Canio. In 1911, he shared the role of Gennaro in the new opera by Wolf-Ferrari "The Secret the Madonna" and also sang in the première of Ferruccio Busoni's ‘’Die Brautwahl’’ (1912, Hamburg). In 1913 he was the first London Bacchus (‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’), and the following year he sang in Chicago as Parsifal in the local première of Richard Wagner's opera. He made guest appearances in Paris, Munich, Hamburgand Brussels. Following World War I, he became an American citizen and went on to teach in the country between 1934–1937. A brain seizure in 1937 forced his to return to Prague where he died two years later. He especially excelled in Smetana parts such as Jeník in ‘’The Bartered Bride’’, ‘’Dalibor’’, Ladislav Podhajský in The ‘’Two Widows’’, Lucas in ‘’The Kiss’’ as well as in traditional world repertory which saw Marak play Don Ottavio in ‘’Don Giovanni’’, Massenet’s ‘’Werther’’, Cavaradossi in ‘’Tosca’’ and Alfred Germont in ‘’La Traviata’’. He often took on the role of Don José in Bizet’s ‘’Carmen’’. He is one of the first singers of the time to sing in a full recording of ‘’Pagliacci’’ for Odeon. Marak like his fellow country person, Emmy Destinn, was one of the few Czech singers of the Golden Age to have international careers. Sadly, Marak spent much of his later years in poverty, counting on his American friends to send him cigarettes.

Chronology of some appearances

1899 Brno Opera House

1899 Prague National Theatre

1903 Vienna Hofper

1906 Berlin Komische Opera

1908 London Covent Garden

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

G&T

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un  tal gioco 72103 6978b

Odeon

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba  X29057 xV 1537

Werther (Massenet): Ah! Non mi ridestar 48317 xB 4591

Traviata (Verdi): De miei bollenti spiriti X29056 xV 1542

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Qui sotto il ciel  38387

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Bianca al par 99268

Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky): Lontan, lontan da me  X29060 xV 1539

Gramophone

Prodana Nevesta (Smetana): Verne milovani with Emmy Destinn  074005 286ac

Tosca (Puccini): Amaro sol per te with Eva Plaschke-von der Osten  044194 2297c

Tosca (Puccini): Qual occhio al mondo with Eva Plaschke-von der Osten 044193 2297 c

Carmen (Bizet): Seguidilla with Ottilie Metzger  044157 454m

Ma dívenka jak ruze jest, pisen  (Zd. Fibich) 2-72059 12729u

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 2-72058 12726u

Columbia

Dobru Noc (Dvorak)  B 427 106646

Kdyz jsem ja jel 53539

O Nasi Lasce (Dvorak) B 427 106647

Parlophon

Carmen (Bizet): Il fior  B. 13572-II 39384

Dalibor (Smetana): Kdyz zdenek  muj B. 13572-I 39383

Wictor (Viktor) Brégy (Tenor) (Kiev 1903 – Warsaw 1976)

Riccardo

                                                                    Duke

His family was of Polish origin and in 1920 went from Ukraine to Warsaw. Here he studied at the university and trained his voice primarily with Maria Lubkowska and Adela Comte-Wilgacka. In 1927 he joined to the Opera House in Warsaw and sang there as the first tenor during the following four years. In 1931 he was engaged by the Opéra-Comique in Paris(debut as Gérald in ‘’Lakmé’’ of Delibes) to which he belonged till 1933. In the 1933-1939 seasons he appeared primarily in Swiss Theatres. He sang at the Municipal Theatres in Bern, Zurich and Baseland also had a successful career as a concert singer. In 1933 he appeared at the Vienna State Opera, then in the 1935-1936 season as a guest at the Vienna People's Opera. Also he made guest appearances at Berlin, Prague and Stockholm. During the Second World War he stayed at Warsawand was a major force in rebuilding Polish musical life. In 1945 he became a professor at the Chopin Conservatoire in Warsaw. Then he was the director of the Warsaw Opera. In 1946 he gave in Bern(Switzerland) a concert. In 1950 he founded an opera studio in Gdansk(Gdansk). Since 1957 he was a professor ofthe music college in Warsaw.

Chronology of some appearances

1927 Warsaw Opera House

1931 Paris Opéra-Comique

1933 Vienna State Opera

1935 Vienna People's Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Syrena, 1930
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Viva il vino spumeggiante 
Halka (Moniuszko): Duo with Helena Lipowska 

Odeon, 1945

Straszny Dwór (Moniuszko): Arja z kurantem P1 O. 236121 a. Wo658
Straszny Dwór (Moniuszko): Arja z kurantem P2 P1 O. 236121 b. Wo 659

Halka (Moniuszko): Szumia Jodly  O.236120  Wo 657-2/656 

Fritz Vogelstrom (Tenor) (Westfalen 1882 - Dresden 1963)

                                                                 Lohengrin

                                                               Lohengrin

He undertook is first small part at the age of 14 in Robert und Bertam as "Schildwache" at the Herforder Stadttheater. In 1898, Vogelstrom joined a Männerquartett "Sänger von Finsterwalde". When performing with the group, he was heard by the director of the Hamburg Opera who proposed him a contract. However, Vogelstrom was drafted at that time and instead of going to Hamburg, he went to Hannover. Vogelstrom had an accident and was released fom the service. He joined another quartett "Rheinische Männerquartett" in Manheim. The director of the Mannheim Opera August Basserman heard him and asked him to audition . His audition was on 23 November 1903 and has a result got 5 year contract. His first parts in Mannheim were Max, Tamino, Alessandro Stradella and the Seamann (''Tristan und Isolde'').The number one Heldentenor of the Mannheim Opera Friedrich Carlén died and that that was Vogelstrom’s big break, He added to his repertory Lohengrin, Stolzing, Siegfried, Tristan. In 1915, Vogelstrom married the s. lilly Hafgren-Waag, with whom he recorded for Odeon. For his last performance in Mannhein, Vogelstrom choosed Pedro. Vogelstrom went on to Dresden. He was warmly welcomed in Dresdenbecause their three helden tenors Burrian, von Bary and Sembach where not able to sing for different reasons. He made his debut in Dresden as Max. There, Vogelstrom added to his repertory Bacchus, Hans Kraft (''Bärenhäuter''), Kaiser, Gomella (''Sonnenflammen'') and a part in Hand und Herz. He added also Tannhäuser, Parsifal, Canio/turiddu (same evening where he received 42 curtain calls), Herodes, Rienzi,..etc Vogelstrom made many guest appearances, for example: 1908, He sang in Dresden, before becoming a member of the troupe, replacing Burrian in ''Tiefland'', followed by ''Carmen'' and ''La Boheme''. - 1909, Vogelstrom made his debut in Bayreuth as Froh on July 25. He was supposed to sing Lohengrin, but behind the scene intrigues, by the wife of von Bary, made sure he did not appear. However Vogelstrom appeared as Parsifal on July 31, and August 8. In 1909 he also sang in Vienna. - 1910 Berlin (Stolzing), 1911 Nürnberg (Stolzing), München (Stolzing), Essen (Lohengrin) - 1912 Essen - 1913 Hannover (Lohengrin), Bielefeld (Lohengrin), Nürnberg (Siegfried) - 1922 Zoppot Siegfried Vogelstrom continued to sing in Dresden until 1928. He died on 25 December 1963 in Köthen, after having lost all his properties during the bombing of Dresdenwhere he lived during the war. Vogelstrom recorded for Gramophon, Odeon, Pathé, Vox, Homocord and Parlophon a total of 125 sides. Excerpts from Vogelstrom’s Repertory - ''Der Freischütz'', ''Die Zauberflöte'', ''Alessandro Stradella'', ''Tristan und Isolde'', ''Lohengrin'', ''die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'', ''die Götterdämmerung'', ''Ariadne auf Naxos'', ''Bärenhäuter'' (comp. S. Wagner), ''die Frau ohne Schatten'', ''Sonneflammen'' (comp. S. Wagner), ''Hand und Herz'' (comp. Striegler), ''La Muette de Portici'', ''Siegfried'', ''Parsifal'', ''Pagliacci'', ''La Juive'', ''Cavalleria Rusticana'', ''Salome'', ''Rienzi'', ''Tiefland'', ''Carmen'', ''La Boheme'', ''das Rheingold'', etc.

Chronology of some appearances

1903 Mannheim Opera House

1908 Dresden Opera House

1909 Bayreuth Festival

1909 ViennaOpera House

1910 BerlinOpera House
1911 Nürnberg Opera House

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Odeon, Berlin 1910
Lohengrin (Wagner): Das süße Lied verhallt with Hafgren-Waag 99660 xB5155

Parlophon, Berlin 1910/1911
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Scherzet immer P289 P370
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Hüll dich in Tand nur P289 P371

Odeon, Berlin 1911?
Juive (Halévy): Kehr o Gott, uns'rer Vater 51069 xB5617
Boheme (Puccini): Wie eiskalt 52134 xB4832

Parlophon, Berlin 1911
Lohengrin (Wagner): Lohengrins Abschied P284 P525
Lohengrin (Wagner): Grals-Erzählung P284 P526

Parlophon, Berlin 1912-02-19
Siegfried (Wagner): Notung, Notung, neidliches Schwert P1194 2-1194

Franz Gruber (Tenor) (München 1882 – München 1932)

He received his  education as an actor in his birthplace Munich and made his debut in 1900 at the Munich People's Theatre. In 1901-1902 season he was engaged by the Thalia Theatre in Saarbrucken. At that time he also studied singing and in 1902 made his debut at the Municipal Theatre in Regensburg and was engaged already in 1903 by the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich, where he distinguished himself above all as a successful operetta tenor. After additional training in 1915 he appeared at the Bayerische Hofoper  in Munich, where he sang the role of Manrico in ‘’Trovatore’’ as a beginning role. Here on 28. 3. 1916 he sang in the premiere of the opera ‘’Violanta’’ of E. W.  Korngold in the part of Alfonso. He sang there also Hoffmann in ‘’Hoffmanns Erzählungen’’, José in ‘’Carmen’’ and Pedro in ‘’Tiefland’’ of E. d'Albert as well as in 1918 in the premiere of Paul Graener’s opera ‘’Theophanu’’. In 1921 he joined to the Landestheater in Dessau, where he also appeared in R. Wagner’s operas. In the 1924-1926 seasons he was engaged by the Landestheater in Hannover. At the Municipal Theatre in Nuremberg he sang from 1926 up to his retirement in 1932. Between 1927 and 1929 he appeared several times as a guest at the Vienna State Opera. In 1932 he had undertaken a tour through Holland. 

Chronology of some appearances

1902 Regensburg Municipal  Theatre

1903 Munich Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz 

1915 Bayerische Hofoper

1921 Dessau Landestheater 

1924 Hannover Landestheater 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Favorite, München 1907-05?

Lustige Witwe (Lehár): Lippen schweigen, 's flüstern Geigen  1-15520 2719-o

Lustige Witwe (Lehár): O Vaterland... Da geh' ich zu Maxim  1-15521 2720-o

Favorite, München 1908-03-09
Lohengrin (Wagner): O Elsa 1-15608 4526-o
Walküre (Wagner): Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 1-15611 4529-o

Johannes Reinhardt (Tenor) (Amsterdam 1867- Apeldoorn 1943)

Under the name Johannes Reinhardt he sang in Vienna (Volksoper) and Germany, but in Holland he used his real name, singing as Johannes Reinhardt Schulze. In Holland, his first traced appearance was on January 17, 1896 in Amsterdam at the Stadsschouwburg as Kunz Vogelsang with August Knapp, Georg Döring, Carle Nebe, Joseph Orelio, Emil Gerhäuser, Sebastian Hofmüller, Elisa Wiborg, Gisela Staudig with Henri Viotta conducting. His further appearances in Holland were: Bois-Rosé (September 15, 1899; April 29, 1901 ), Benvolio (October 30, 1899), Messenger (Aida, November 26, 1899), Ottokar (December 9, 1899), Ruodi (January 12, 1900; January 26, 1923), Henrich der Schreiber (February 2, 1900; September 12, 1900) een bode (Helga by Mönch on April 6, 1900), Harmaki (Cleopatra by Enna on September 19, 1900), David (October 12, 1900), Arnold (December ?, 1900; October ?, 1901; September 19, 1903; May 6, 1907), Gérald (March 5, 1902; October 3, 1902), Hoffmann (August 31, 1902; May 26, 1916; October 4, 1919), Tamino (September 3, 1902; January 22, 1918; April 1921), Wilhelm Meister (September 16, 1902; September 23, 1903; May 19, 1916; December ?, 1916; December 1917; October 25, 1920), Chateauneuf (October 24, 1902; March 20, 1920), Lyonel (November 1, 1902), Manrico (November 16, 1902; October 3, 1903, April 20, 1907; September 14, 1914; November 3, 1917; September, 1918; december 7, 1919), Jenik (December 14, 1902), Jean (Het eerekruis by Dopper on January 9, 1903), Alfredo (February 24, 1903; October 31, 1903, April 22, 1906), Symon Rymanovicz (March 7, 1903), Walter von Vogelweide (September 23, 1903; March 13, 1917; March 19, 1918; November 28, 1918; December 26, 1919; February 1921; September 24, 1921; October 1922; March 16, 1924; January 29, 1924; December 18, 1924;; October 18, 1925; February 12, 1926; October 16, 1927), Faust (September ?, 1903; May 20, 1916; October, 1917; October 1, 1920).

Chronology of some appearances

1896 Amsterdam Opera House Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Kunz Vogelsang)

1899 AmsterdamOpera House Les Huguenots (Bois-Rosé)

1899 AmsterdamOpera House Roméo et Juliette (Benvolio)

1899 AmsterdamOpera House Aida (Messenger)

1900 AmsterdamOpera House Meistersingern  (David)

1901 AmsterdamOpera House Les Huguenots (Bois-Rosé)

1902 AmsterdamOpera House Lakme (Gerald)

1902 AmsterdamOpera House Hoffmanns Erzählungen (Hoffmann)

1902 AmsterdamOpera House Zauberflöte (Tamino)

1902 AmsterdamOpera House  Mignon (Wilhelm Meister)

1902 AmsterdamOpera House Trovatore (Manrico)

1903 Amsterdam Opera House Traviata (Alfredo)

1916 AmsterdamOpera House Faust (Faust)

1917 AmsterdamOpera House Faust (Faust)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Zonophone, Wien 1908

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Sextett with Kiurina, Melms, Stehmann, von Kellersperg and Ritter X-24393 12831u

Guillaume Tell (Rossini): O Mathilde with Melms X-24438 12838u

Rigoletto (Verdi): Quartett with Kiurina, Melms and von Kellersperg  X-24392 12840u

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Nein, nein, Turiddu with Hilgermann X-24439 12972u

Pathé, Wien 1910?

Rigoletto (Verdi): Quartett with Pohlner, Paalen and Schwarz 51175

Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Ihr Wangenpaar 51176

Traviata (Verdi): Komm, lass' uns fliehen with Pohlner 51181

Odeon, Wien 1910?

Carmen (Bizet); Cavatine des Don Jose 51108 63016

Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 63112 

Martha (Flotow): Ach so fromm 63121