Juan Luria (Baritone) (20. Dezember 1862 Warschau, † 21. Mai 1943 Sobibor)

He was born to a Jewish family. He was one of the best baritones of his time. His real name was Johannes Lorié. He was a pupil of Joseph Gänsbacher in Vienna and Baks in Berlin. In 1885 he made his debut at the Hoftheater in Stuttgart. In 1890 he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where in the 1890-1891 season he appeared as Nevers in ‘’Huguenots’’, Pizarro in ‘’Fidelio’’, Kurwenal in ‘’Tristan und Isolde’’, Alberich in Nibelungenring, Gunther in "Götterdämmerung" and sang in the première of the opera ‘’Diana von Solange’’ of the duke Ernst II. von Coburg-Gotha (1891). In 1891 he went to Italy and sang there with great success during several seasons under the name Giovanni Luria. At La Scala he created in 1897 the part of Wotan in the Italian première of "Walküre" (in Italian). In 1894 he appeared in Genova in G. Rossini’s ‘’Guglielmo Tell’’. Then he went back to Germany and often appeared at the Theater des Westen in Berlin. On 9. 11. 1901 he sang at the Stadttheater in Elberfeld in the premiere of Hans Pfitzner’s "Rose vom Liebesgarten". He made successful geust appearances at the State Opera in Vienna and Munich and at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. In 1908 he performed again at the Theater des Westen in Berlin and then devoted himself to the educational activity. So significant singers like Gotthelf Pistor, Käthe Heidersbach, Elfriede Marherr and Michael Bohnen belonged to his pupils. His life was developed tragically. In 1937 he fled to the Netherlands, teaching in Amsterdam and Den Haag, but was caught, after the May 1940 invasion of the Netherlands by German forces and interned in a concentration camp. He was deported from Westerbork to Sobibor on May 18, 1943, at the age of 79, where he died on May 21, 1943.

Chronology of some appearances

1890 New York Metropolitan Opera Les Huguenots (Count de Nevers)
1891 New York Metropolitan Opera Fidelio (Don Pizarro)
1894 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Guglielmo Tell (Tell)
1897 Milan La Scala Walküre (Wotan)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Favorite, Berlin 1905-02/03
Ballo in maschera (Verdi): O dolcezza perdute, o memorie! 1-35043 332-o
Tannhäuser (Wagner) Als du in kühnem Sange 1-15270 321-o
Tannhäuser (Wagner) Wohl wusst' ich hier sie im Gebet zu finden 1-15271 323-o

Favorite, Berlin 1905-04?
Dom Sébastien (Donizetti): O Lisbona 1-15337 436-o
Favorite (Donizetti): A tanto amor 1-15331 419-o
Rigoletto (Verdi): Pari siamo 2-15016 26-p
Rigoletto (Verdi): Deh, non parlar 1-15339 438-o
Hérodiade (Massenet) Visione fuggitiva 2-35008

Favorite, Berlin 1906-01 (medio)
Rigoletto (Verdi): Piangi fanciulla with Heymann-Engel 1-19118 1218-o
Don Giovanni (Mozart): La ci darem la mano with Heymann-Engel 1-19119 1219-o
Tannhäuser (Wagner) O du mein holder Abendstern 1-15256 2025-f

G&T, Berlin 1907-01
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Figlia di regi 3-42743 5006L


Favorite, Berlin 1907-01-25
Carmen (Bizet): Toreador 1-15480 2435-o
Tannhäuser (Wagner) Blick' ich umher 1-15476 2431-o-


Favorite, Berlin 1907-02-12?
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un nido di memorie 1-15488 2445-o


Favorite, Berlin 1907-02-21
Xerxes (Händel) Welch schattig Grün (Larghetto)  1-15493 2469-o


Dacapo, Berlin 1907-08-23/31
Tannhäuser (Wagner) O du mein holder Abendstern D1043


Homocord, Berlin 1908-06-30
Carmen (Bizet): Ho nome Escamillo with Spiwak 1070 B764
Trovatore (Verdi) Rings tiefes Schweigen with Spiwak 1074 B764


Odeon, Berlin 1908-07?
Guillaume Tell (Rossini): O Mathilde with Spiwak X99060 xB3970


Beka, Berlin 1910-11/12
Carmen (Bizet): Votre Toast 13195
Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen B3568


Beka, Berlin 1912-01 
Rigoletto (Verdi): Pari siamo 13993
Rigoletto (Verdi): Aria 13994