Irene von Chavanne (Contralto) (18. April 1863 in Graz; † 26. Dezember 1938 in Dresden)

First she wanted to become a pianist, but her piano teacher W. A. Remy discovered her vocal talent and encouraged her to study singing. Her education was financed by empress Elisabeth von Österreich. She studied singing with Johannes Ress in Vienna, then she became a pupil of Désirée Artôt de Padilla in Paris. She completed her education under Paschalis-Souvestre in Dresden and made her debut in 1885 at the Hofoper in Dresden as Orsini in ‘’Lucrezia Borgia’’ of G. Donizetti and remained during her whole career there. She made guest appearances in Vienna (1890), Leipzig (1890), Berlin (1908). Her repertoire included Azucena in ‘’Il Trovatore’’, Amneris in ‘’Aida’’, Carmen, Brangäne in ‘’Tristan und Isolde’’, Ortrud in ‘’Lohengrin’’. In 1915 she retired from the stage and became an honorary member of the Dresden Opera.

Chronology of some appearances (Opera premieres)

1892 Dresden Hofoper Herrat  by Felix Draeseke

1892 Dresden Hofoper Frauenlob  by Reinhold Becker

1896 Dresden Hofoper Odysseus Heimkehr by August Bungert

1898 Dresden Hofoper Kirke  by August Bungert

1900 Dresden Hofoper Samson et of Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns

1901 Dresden Hofoper Dresden Hofoper Feuersnot by Richard Strauss

1901 Dresden Hofoper Nausikaa by August Bungert

1901 Dresden Hofoper Manru by Ignacy Paderewski

1903 Dresden Hofoper Odysseus Tod  by August Bungert

1903 Dresden Hofoper Alpenkönig und Menschenfeind by Leo Blech

1905 Dresden Hofoper Salome (Herodias) by Richard Strauss 

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Gramophone, Dresden 1908
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