Ellen Gulbranson (Soprano) (Stockholm 1863, 8/3 – Oslo 1947, 2/1)

Her real name was Ellen Norgren. First she received her education at the Royal Conservatoire in Stockholm by Julius Günther, then went to Paris, where she became a pupil of Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone and Ellen Kenneth. She made her concert debut in 1886 at Stockholm. In 1889 she made her stage debut at the Royal Opera in Stockholm as Amneris in ‘’Aida’’. She became known internationally an excellent interpreter of part in operas of R. Wagner. Already in 1892 she was intended for the Bayreuth Festival, however, only in 1896 she appeared for the first time at Bayreuth. Till 1914 she has appeared regularly at Bayreuth. Since 1890 she was married the Norwegian major Gulbranson and lived near Oslo. In the 1907-1908 season she made guest appearances at the Covent Garden, since 1895 often at the Berlin Court Opera, in 1896 at Vienna and Frankfurt a. M., also in Budapest, St. Petersburg and Copenhagen, but the Bayreuth Festival remained a center of her artistic work. Other appearances: Amsterdam (1899, Brünnhilde in ‘’Walküre’’), the Municipal Theater of Hamburg (1899), Municipal Theater of Bremen (1890), German Theater in Prague (1901), Municipal Theater of Zurich (1906, 1907),  The Court Opera of Munich (1906, 1907, Court Theater in Karlsruhe (1907), Opera House of Cologne (1909) and Municipal Theater of Nuremberg (1910). Her best parts included the Elisabeth in ‘’Tannhäuser’’, Ortrud in ‘’Lohengrin’’, Leonora in ‘’Fidelio’’, Aida and the title role in the opera ‘’Cleopatra’’, which Danish composer August Enna wrote especially for her (1893, Copenhagen Opera). In 1923 she gave in Stockholm her last concert. Already in 1898 she was awarded the Litteris et Artibus medal, one of Sweden's highest honors. In 1910 she became a member of the Music Academy of Stockholm. She been active for a long time in Norway in an educational area. Lit.: F.Elsta: ' Boken om Ellen Gulbranson ' (Oslo, 1950).

Chronology of some appearances

1889 Stockholm Royal Opera

1890 Bremen Municipal Theater

1895 Berlin Court Opera

1899 Hamburg Municipal Theater

1901 Prague German Theater

1896-1914 Bayreuth Festival

1906 Zurich Municipal Theater

1907 Munich Court Opera

1907 Karlsruhe Court Theater

1907-1908 London Covent Garden

1910 Nuremberg Municipal Theater

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Pathé, Kristiania 1914-06-12
Om dagen vid mitt arbete (trad) 17215
Ack Wermeland du sköna (trad) 17216
En svane (Grieg) 17227
Vær hilset I damer (Grieg) 17228

Pathé, Kristiania 1914-06-17
Träume (Wagner) 90289
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich, teure Halle 90290

Pathé, Kristiania 1916-08-11
Og jeg vil ha mig en hjertenskjær (Grieg) 90380

Fanchette Verhunk (Soprano) (1874 Ljubljana, Slovenia † Golnik, Slovenia 1944)

She was a pupil of pedagogues J. Gänsbacher and Mancio in Vienna. In the 1897-1898 season she appeared at the Municipal Theater of Posen (Poznan) and was engaged in 1898 by the Opera House of Wroclaw, where she had a successful career. In 1901 she sang at the Bayreuth festival as Freia in "Rheingold". In 1903 she guested very successfully at the Vienna Court Opera in the title parts in A. Thoma’s ‘’Mignon’’ and ‘’Louise’’ of G. Charpentier. In 1901 she appeared at the Court Opera of Dresden, in 1902 at the Munich Court Opera. In 1907 she sang at the Vienna People's Opera the title part in ‘’Salome’’ by R. Strauss. Also she made guest appearances in Amsterdam and Budapest. In Wroclaw, where she was highly appreciated by the audience, in 1916 she gave a recital and retired from the stag in 1917. Since that time she worked as a pedagogue in Wroclaw. She was married the conductor Julius Prüwer (1874-1943), who was active after 1933 as a conductor of the orchestra of the Jewish cultural alliance in Berlin. In 1938 she lived in Frankfurt a. M., but returned to the Yugoslavia, where she and died in 1944.

Chronology of some appearances

1897-1898 Posen Municipal Theater

1898 Wroclaw Opera House

1901 Bayreuth festival

1901 Dresden Court Opera

1902 Munich Court Opera

1903 Vienna Court Opera

1907 Vienna People's Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Gramophone, Breslau 1908-02/03
Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land? 2-43087  12434u
Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Schöne Nacht (Barcarole) with Neisch 2-44358  12435u

Odeon, Berlin 1911-05?
Aida (Verdi): Bald kommt Radamès X99533
Carmen (Bizet): Wenn dir die Karten einmal bitt'res X99528  xB4907

Augusto Vicentini (Tenor) (Verona, Italia 18. 06. 1926 - ?)

Around 1930 he moved with his family to Legnago. After his education at the Schola  Cantorum di Legnago, he received the first recommendations by maestro Guido Stello and his wife, soprano Adelina Ambroso. Abandoned his university studies, he dedicated himself completely to the artistic activity. First he studied with maestro Ferruccio Cusinati, then with tenor Guido Ederle. On January 28, 1948 he made his debut at the Astra Theatre in Legnago in a Symphony concert. In 1953 he made his debut at the Nuovo in Milano in ‘’Tosca’’, which was a part of the school of La Scala, then he subsequently was engaged by the Italian and foreign theaters. On September 15, 1956 he appeared at the Teatro Salieri in Legnago in ‘’La Boheme’’ and ‘’La Traviata’’. That same year he made his debut at the Arena di Verona in ‘’Faust’’. In the 1973-1974 season he sang here in ‘’Aida’’, ‘’Un ballo in maschera’’, ‘’La Boheme’’ and ‘’Samson and Delilah’’.

Chronology of some appearances

1948 Legnago Astra Theatre
1953 Milano Nuovo
1956 Legnago Teatro Salieri
1973-1974 Verona Arena

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Vienna State Opera, 1961
Traviata (Verdi): Un dì, felice with Elena Todeschi
Traviata (Verdi): Lunge da lei... De' miei bollenti spiriti
Traviata (Verdi): Parigi, o cara with Elena Todeschi

Alarik Uggla (Baritone) (Helsinki, Finland 18. 1. 1860 - Helsinki, Finland 31. 8. 1908)

Chronology of some appearances

1892 Christiania Theater Faust (Valentin)

1892 Christiania Theater Romeo et Juliette (Mercutio)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

G&T, Helsinki 1904-11
Laps' Suomen (O barn af Hellas) (Pacius) (pf: Merikanto) 82879 1391e

Zonophone, Helsinki 1905-09 (late)
Du är min ro (Collan) X-72112

G&T, Helsinki 1905-09 (late)
Kung Karls jakt (Pacius): Dryckesvisa 82147 1174d

G&T, Helsinki 1906/1907
Vasa marsch (I högan nord vår vagga stod) (Collan) (pf: Merikanto) 2-82476 4752L

Francesco Valentino (Baritone) (New York 6. 1. 1907 – Fairfax, Virginia 14. 6. 1991)

His real name was Francis Valentine Dinhaupt. He been descended from a German American family, which after his birth soon moved to Denver (Colorado). He began his education in Denver, then went to Milan, where he was a pupil of Emilio Piccoli. He made his debut in 1927 at the Teatro Regio in Parma under the name Francesco Valentino as Germont  in ‘’Traviata’’. In the 1930-1940's he often appeared at  the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova, in the 1929-1939 seasons also at the Arena di Verona. On 1. 1. 1938 he sang at La Scala in the premiere of the opera ‘’Margherita di Cortona’’ by Licinio Refice (at the same time his debut in this house). On 29. 4. 1939 he took part at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in the premiere of the opera ’’Re Lear’’ by Vito Frazzi, on 18. 5. 1940 in L. Dallapiccola’s ‘’Volo di notte’’. In the 1938-1939 season he took over during the Glyndebourne festival the title part in G. Verdi’s ‘’Macbeth’’. During his career in Europe he also guested at the operas of Nice and Budapest. In the 1935-1937 seasons he was to be heard at the Italian Opera in Holland. After ten-year-old career in Europe he was engaged in 1940 by the Metropolitan Opera in New York (debut: Enrico in ’’Lucia di Lammermoor’’), where he appeared with success longer than twenty years - now under the name Frank Valentino. Here he had a huge success as Marcello in ‘’La Bohème’’, Rigoletto, Alfio in ’’Cavalleria Rusticana’’, Sharpless in ‘’Madama Butterfly’’, Count di Luna in ‘’Il Trovatore’’, Enrico in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’ and as Germont  in ‘’La Traviata’’. In 1952 he sang at the Edinburgh festival again the title part in ‘’Macbeth’’. He made guest appearances also at the San Francisco Opera (1943-1952) and in Mexico City. In 1962 he retired from the stage and worked till 1971 as a pedagogue at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. 

Chronology of some appearances

Belcore 12/16/1941, Marcello 3/10/1942, Giorgio Germont 3/3/1943, Rigoletto 9/28/1943, Giorgio Germont 9/28/1943, Rigoletto 5/10/1944, Lord Enrico Asthon 5/13/1944, Giorgio Germont 5/16/1944, Amonasro 5/8/1945, Sharpless 5/16/1945, Le comte Capulet 12/11/1945, Sharpless 11/26/1946, Il conte d’Almaviva 12/3/1946, Marcello 2/18/1947, Rangoni 3/11/1947, Barnaba 2/3/1948, Il conte di Luna 12/21/1948, Sharpless 11/6/1953, Roucher 11/23/1954, Il conte di Luna 2/24/1955, Barnaba 10/11/1956, Belcore 1/29/1958, Escamillo 10/9/1958, Il conte di Luna 10/19/1958, Marcello 1/18/1959, Giorgio Germont 11/26/1959, Marcello 2/7/1960, 12/15/1960, 12/14/1961, Sharpless 1/9/1963, Marcello 2/13/1963, 2/13/1964 (Filadelfia).

RECORDING FOR SALE

NBC Symphony Orchestra 1943/Conductor Toscanini
Un Ballo In Maschera (Verdi): Alzati... Eri tu

Raphaël Romagnoni (Tenor) (February 20th, 1906 Lyon - died April 23rd, 1999)

He was trained at the Conservatoire de Lyon and made his debut in 1931 at the Opéra de Lyon as Turiddu in ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’.  Afterwards he appeared at numerous French opera houses, sang at theaters of North Africa and in 1947 was engaged by the Grand Opéra and Opéra-Comique in Paris. In these both houses his repertoire included Faust, Roméo in ‘’Roméo et Juliette’’, Duke in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Mylio in ‘’Le Roi d'Ys’’,  José in ‘’Carmen’’,  Hoffmann in ‘’Les contes d'Hoffmann’’, Nadir in ‘’Pêcheurs de perles’’, Gérald in ‘’Lakmé’’ and Pinkerton in ‘’Madame Butterfly’’. Then since 1958 he took over comprimario parts, under it Missail in ‘’Boris Godunov’’, Remendado in ‘’Carmen’’, Spalanzani in ‘’Les contes d'Hoffmann’’and Torquemada in ’’L'Heure espagnole’’. In 1971 he retired from the stage. He appeared as a guest abroad, thus at the Théâtre de la Monnaie  in Brussels (1950), at the Teatro San Carlos in Lisbon (1964), in  Switzerland, Holland, Greece and Brazil. His daughter Odette Romagnoni (26. 6. 1938 Lyon) became a known soprano, who appeared since 1961 at the Opéra de Lyon. Since 1963 she appeared at different French opera houses and in the 1969-1971 seasons she was a member of the Opéra-Comique in Paris.

Chronology of some appearances

1931 Opéra de Lyon 

1947 Paris Grand Opéra

1947 Paris Opéra-Comique

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Concert version/Complete 1951
Faust (Gounod) with Geori Boué, Huc Santana, Charles Cambon and Nadine Sautereau

1958
Trovatore (Verdi): Brise D'amour Et Miserere with Jules Gressier

Aldo Bertocci (Tenor) (Turin, Italia 9 May 1915 – Cassano Valcuvia, Italia 2 May 2004)

He studied singing in his hometown Turin, where he was a pupil of maestro Beltramo and Anna Maria Nobile. In 1943 he won a song competition in Alessandria. In 1944 his stage debut took place in Turin. He appeared in the post-war period at Italian provincial operatic stages as Duke in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Alfredo in ‘’La Traviata’’, Rodolfo in ‘’La Bohème’’, Cavaradossi in ‘’Tosca’’, Rinuccio in ‘’Gianni Schicchi’’ and Edgardo in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’. He performed also in operas of contemporary composers like Paul Hindemith, Ildebrando Pizzetti, Gian Francesco Malipiero, Carl Orff, Luigi Dallapiccola, Alfredo Casella, Igor Strawinsky and Lodovico Rocca. In 1953 he appeared for the first time at La Scala in Milano, namely as Dimitri in ‘’Boris Godunov’’ (1956). Here he appeared on 24. 1. 1953 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Cagliostro’’ of I. Pizzetti (which was repeated in a broadcasting Turin RAI), in 1954 in M.Peragallo’s ‘’La Gita in Campagna’’, on 10. 1. 1957 in Felice Lattuada’s ‘’Caino’’. A narrow connection continued between the artist and La Scala, where he was to be heard all together during 16 seasons. In 1958 he sang there in the premiere of the opera ‘’L'Assassinio nella Cattedrale’’ by I. Pizzetti, in 1966 at the Piccola Scala in Flavio Testi’s ‘’Albergo dei Poveri’’. By the end of his career he added to his repertoire Otello of G. Verdi, which he sang at many famous Italian and European operatic stages. At the Vienna State he guested in 1959 as Riccardo in G. Verdi’s ‘’Un Ballo in maschera’’. At the Roma Opera he appeared in 1970 as Robespierre in ‘’Dantons Tod’’ by G. von Einem.

Chronology of some appearances

1947 Torino Teatro Carignano Gianni Schicchi (Rinuccio)

1953 Milano La Scala Cagliostro  (sentinella)

1956 Milano La Scala Boris Godunov (Vassili Sciuiskij)

1957 Milano La Scala Caino (Abele)

1962 Firenze Teatro Comunale Il Dibuk (messaggero)

1969  Torino Teatro Nuovo Kovancina (scrivano/confidente)

1970 Venezia Teatro alla Fenice Don Tartufo Bacchettone (Valerio)

1971 Milano La Scala Kovancina (scrivano)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Musical Masterpiece Society ‎– MMS-2157
Aida (Verdi): Se quel guerrier io fossi!...Celeste Aida
Aida (Verdi): Pur ti riveggo with Anna de Cavalieri
Aida (Verdi) Nel fiero anelito with Anna de Cavalieri
Aida (Verdi): Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti with Anna de Cavalieri
Aida (Verdi): Già i Sacerdoti adunansi with Anna de Cavalieri
Aida (Verdi): Nume, custode e vindice  Paolo Dari
Aida (Verdi): La fatal pietra with Anna de Cavalieri

Ewa Bandrowska-Turska (Soprano) (ur. 20 maja 1894 w Krakowie, zm. 25 czerwca 1979 r. w Warszawie)

Niece of the tenor Alexander von Bandrowski (1860-1913). She received her education by Helena Zboinska-Ruszkowska in Warsaw. In 1919 her debut took place as a concert soprano in Warsaw. In 1920 she made her debut at the Warsaw Opera as Marguerite in ‘’Faust’’ of C. Gounod. In 1921 she joined to the Lwów (Lvov) Opera, however, her career was interrupted by a long lasting illness. In 1925 she started to appear at the Theater of Poznán (Posen). In 1929 she became a member of the Warsaw Opera. In 1929 she made guest appearance in Hamburg. In 1939 she sang at the Opéra-Comique in Paris the title role in ‘’Lakmé’’ and Violetta in ‘’Traviata’’. Other guest performances: Vienna State Opera (1933), Opera Houses of Budapest, Zurich, Amsterdam and Stockholm (1936), also Theaters of Nice and Brussels. In the USA she appeared at the Chicago Opera and as a concert singer at the New York Carnegie Hall. She gave concerts in London (1931) and Vienna (1937) and undertook concert tours in the Scandinavian lands and in the Soviet Union. In the 1947-1949 seasons she was engaged again by the Warsaw Opera. Then she worked as pedagogue first in Cracow, later at the College of Music of Warsaw. Her repertoire included Elsa in ‘’Lohengrin’’, Marguerite in ‘’Faust’’, Manon by J. Massenet, Rosina in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’, Traviata, Mimi in ‘’La Bohème’’, Butterfly, Tatiana in ‘’Eugene Onegin’’. 

Chronology of some appearances

1920 Warsaw Opera

1921 Lviv Opera

1925 Poznán Opera

1929 Warsaw Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Muza
Wiosna, Op. 74, Nr. 2. Piesn mx WA 340

Odeon
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Una voce poco fa
Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Un bel dì vedremo
Skowronek (Bettinelli)
King Roger (Szymanowski); Aria

Moskau
Halka (Moniuszko): Two arias of Halka

Maartje Offers (Contralto) (27 February 1891, Koudekerk (aan den Rijn) – 28 January 1944, Tholen)

She studied at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag under Arnold Spoel and Mrs. Hekking, then with Pauline de Haan-Manifarges in Rotterdam. In 1910 she made her debut as a concert singer in Leiden. In 1917 she made her stage debut at the Théâtre de la Haye as Dalila in ‘’Samson et Dalila’’ by C. Saint-Saëns. Then she sang at several Dutch opera societies and guested in 1920 as a partner of Jacques Urlus in Paris as Dalila. In the 1924-1925 season she had at La Scala a significant success as Erda and Fricka in R. Wagner's Ring Cycle. She appeared also at the Teatro Fenice in Venice and undertook an Australia tour. In 1926 she sang in New York in the 2-nd symphony of Gustav Mahler under Willem Mengelberg. She had a huge success as a concert singer in London. In 1928 she returned to her Dutch native country, where she appeared only seldom at the concert hall. In 1936 she sang in Amsterdam the part of Fricka in "Walküre". In 1940 she gave the last concert at the Hague. She was married the lawyer van Buuren, from whom she separated in 1928. She died during the Second World War on the island Tholen. She found her last place of rest in the Hague. 

Chronology of some appearances

1917 Théâtre de la Haye

1924-1925 Milano La Scala

1926 New York

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

HMV, Milano 1923-12-07
Aida (Verdi): Fu la sorte dell'armee with Poli-Randacio DB728 (2-054137)
Aida (Verdi): Pietà ti prendi with  Poli-Randacio DB728 (2-054138)

HMV, Milano 1924-05-06
Rienzi (Wagner): Gerechter Gott DB756 (2-043034)
Rienzi (Wagner): In seiner Blut DB756 (2-043035)

HMV, London 1926-01-20
Matthäuspassion (Bach): Erbarme dich, mein Gott, pt 1 DB907 (2-043046)

HMV, London 1926-09-22
Die Ehre Gottes in der Natur (Beethoven) DA1067 (7-43090)

HMV, London 1926-09-23
Orfeo ed Eurydice (Gluck): Che farò DB1185 (2-053272) 

HMV, London 1927-08-22
Favorita (Donizetti): O mio Fernando DB1185 (2-053301)

HMV, London 1927-08-23
Götterdämmerung (Wagner): Seine Raben beide D1577 (2-043075)

HMV, London 1927-08-29
Rinaldo (Händel): Lascia ch'io piango DA1067 (7-53120)

HMV, London 1927-10-25
Götterdämmerung (Wagner): Geh' heim with Austral D1578 (2-044050)

HMV, London 1928-02-16
Götterdämmerung (Wagner): Seit er von dir geschieden D1576 (2-043095)

HMV, London 1928-03-19
Don Carlo (Verdi): O don fatale DB1158 (2-053316)
Trovatore (Verdi): Condotta ell'era in ceppi DB1158 (2-053315)

Yvonne de Tréville (Soprano) (Galveston, Texas 25. 8. 1881 – ? 1954)

Her real name was Edyth Le Gierse. She studied singing in Paris under Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone and made her debut in 1897 with the Castle Square Opera Company in New York. As a member of this opera troupe she sang among other things in 1898 the part of Mimi in the New York première of G. Puccini’s ‘’La Bohème’’. In 1899 she again came to Paris and continued her study with Mathilde Marchesi. In 1902 she made her debut at the Paris Opéra-Comique as Lakmé. During the following ten years she made successful guest appearances in Stockholm (1903 and 1910), St. Petersburg (1904-05), Bucharest, Budapest, Nice, Berlin and Prague. Especially she was highly appreciated at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, where she was engaged in the 1907-1909 seasons. In 1909 and 1910 she appeared at the Vienna Court Opera (Rosina in ‘’Il Brbiere di Siviglia’’/Mimi in ‘’La Boheme’’). In 1910 she sang at the opera houses of Frankfurt a. M. and Cologne, in 1911 at the Court Theater in Hannover. In 1912 she returned to America, where she continued her career now primarily as a concert singer. Later she taught singing in New York.

 Chronology of some appearances

1902 Paris  Opéra-Comique
1907-1909 Brussels  Théâtre de la Monnaie
1909-1910 Vienna Court Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Edison, New York
Lakmé (Delibes): Air des clochettes 82334 4979
Manon Lescaut (Auber): Eclat de rire BA 28248

Louise Homer (Contralto) (Pittburgh 28. 4. 1871 † Winter Park, Florida 6. 5. 1947)

After a period of vocal study in Europe her initial performances were met with lukewarm reviews. Her voice was described as loud and hard with little temperament. However, with the test of time she went on to make a number of successful recordings. The Metropolitan Opera, appreciating (or taking advantage of) her vocal diversity, contracted her for twenty-two seasons. In that period she sang over forty-two roles in 700-plus appearances.

Chronology of some appearances

Siébel 12/20/191900, Urbain 1/8/191901, Schwertleite 1/10/191901, Amneris (Filadelfia) 1/15/191901, Marta 1/17/191901, Pantalis 1/17/191901, Schwertleite 1/29/191901, Maddalena (Filadelfia) 2/28/191901, Lola 2/28/191901, Amneris 1/23/191902, Schwertleite 2/13/191902, (Filadelfia) Hedwig 2/18/191902, Venus 12/23/191902, Schwertleite 1/29/191903, Waltraute (Filadelfia) 2/5/191903, Floßhilde 2/5/191903, Amneris 2/26/191903, Brangäne 3/3/191903, (Filadelfia) Zweite Dame der Königin 3/12/191903, Maddalena 12/29/191903, Lola (Filadelfia) 1/12/1904, Fricka 3/8/1904, Schwertleite 3/8/1904, Floßhilde 3/12/1904, Ortrud (Filadelfia) 1/3/1905, Brangäne 1/17/1905, Magdalene 1/31/1905, Laura Adorno (Filadelfia) 2/28/1905, Fricka 12/19/1905, Schwertleite 12/19/1905, Die Knusperhexe (Filadelfia) 1/4/1906, Nancy 1/15/1907, Amneris 2/7/1907, Suzuki 2/14/1907, Brangäne (Filadelfia) 2/19/1907, Die Knusperhexe 3/5/1907, Brangäne 1/28/1908, Azucena (Filadelfia) 3/3/1908, Amneris 12/1/1908, Brangäne 1/7/1909, Magdalene 2/2/1909, (Filadelfia) Erda 3/4/1909, Fricka 3/11/1909, Waltraute 3/11/1909, Erda 3/18/1909, Waltraute (Filadelfia) 3/25/1909, Floßhilde 3/25/1909, Amneris 11/9/1909, Brangäne (Filadelfia) 1/4/1910, Fricka 2/8/1910, Waltraute 2/8/1910, Amneris 3/10/1910, Orfeo (Filadelfia) 12/27/1910, Die Hexe 2/14/1911, Ortrud 3/28/1911, Laura Adorno 4/4/1911, (Filadelfia) Amneris 4/19/1912, Laura Adorno 1/7/1913, Dritte Dame der Königin (Filadelfia) 1/14/1913, Orfeo 1/21/1913, Brangäne 3/7/1916, Dalila 11/28/1916, Azucena (Filadelfia) 12/12/1916, Erda 12/26/1916, Amneris 1/7/1919 (Filadelfia).

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Victor, 1903-11-02
Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck): Away with mourning and crying  85015 C622

Victor, 1905-02-11 
Don Carlo (Verdi): O don fatale  85043 C2238

Victor, 1905-06-06 
Les filles de Cadiz (Delibes) 74019 C2601 
Carmen (Bizet): L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) 81078 B2604 

Victor, 1906-10-12
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Voce di donna  85104 C3874

Victor, 1906-10-24
Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea): Acerba voluttà  85110  C3934

Victor, 1907-02-27
Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Tutti fior with Farrar 89008 C4260 

Victor, Camden NJ 1908-05-25
Lohengrin (Wagner): Du Ärmste with Eames 89021 6226

Victor, Camden NJ 1909-05-01
Aida (Verdi): Fu la sorte with Gadski 88163 C7033
Aida (Verdi): Alla pompa with Gadski 88164 C7034

Victor, Camden NJ 1909-10-11
Die Lorelei (Liszt) 88204 C8293

Victor, Camden NJ 1910-02-07
Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck): Su e con me vieni cara with Gadski 89041 C8609

Victor, Camden NJ 1912-04-12
Stabat Mater (Rossini): Quis est homo with Gluck 88380  C11867

Victor, Camden NJ 1912-12-13
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Nobil Signori, salute  85107 C3875

Victor, New York 1913-04-15
Alla capanna andiamo (Campana) with Farrar 89072 C13127  
Der Engel (Rubinstein) 89071 C13130

Victor, Camden NJ 1913-01-25
Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck): Suse, liebe Suse with Gluck 88418 C12844
Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck): Der kleine Sandmann bin ich with Gluck 88419 C12845

Victor, Camden NJ 1914-05-21
Rock of ages (Hastings) with Gluck 87198  B14850

Victor, Camden NJ 1916-06-29
Robin Hood (de Koven): Oh, promise me 87255 B18036

Victor, Camden NJ 1916-06-30
Messiah (Händel): He was despised 88574 C18041

Elsa Szamosi (Soprano) (Budapest 1884 – Budapest 1924)

Her real name was Elza Szamek. She was a pupil of the pedagogue Quirino Merli. In 1904 she sang at the Budapest National Opera the role of Dalila in the première of the opera ‘’Samson et Dalila’’of Saint-Saëns and had a shining success. The next year in this opera house she appeared as Carmen. Already in 1906 she began to take over soprano parts; thus she sang in 1906 at the Budapest première in Puccini’s ‘’Madama Butterfly’’ in the title role. In 1904 and 1905 she was staying at the Vienna  Court Opera. In 1906 she took part in a tour through North America with the Savage Opera Company. In 1906 with this opera troupe she appeared in the première of Puccini’s ‘’Madama Butterfly’’ also in North America and Washington. Her last big role which she interpreted in Budapest was the Martha in ‘’Tiefland’’ of E. d'Albert. Already in 1913 she retired from the stage.

Chronology of some appearances

1904 Budapest National Opera Samson et Dalila (Dalila)

1905 Budapest National Opera Carmen (Carmen)

RECORDING FOR SALE

Odeon, Budapest 1910-01-01
Carmen (Bizet): Habanera 115040  Ho 449
Mignon (Thomas): Is mered ama hout 115039  Ho 447

Dacapo, Budapest
Les contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Barcarola 15638

Gertrude Rennyson (Soprano) (Boston, USA 1884 † ? 1933)

She began her education with Augusto Rotali in Boston and continued in Paris. After a tour through the USA, she again went to Europe and perfected her vocal technique under famous vocal pedagogues. In 1907 she made her debut at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. In 1908 she appeared at the German Theater in Prague, where she had a significant success. In 1908 she made guest appearance at the Vienna Court Opera as Elisabeth in ‘’Tannhäuser’’.  In the 1908-1909 season she sang at the Court Opera in Dresden. At Bayreuth festival of 1909 she sang the part of Elsa in ‘’Lohengrin’’, in the 1909-1911 seasons she performed in ‘’Parsifal’’. In 1911 she gave a Sunday Night concert at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Nevertheless, she soon retired from the stage. She made a few records for Columbia.

Chronology of some appearances

1907 Brussels Théâtre de la Monnaie

1908 Prague German Theater

1908 Vienna Court Opera

1909 Dresden Court Opera

1909 Bayreuth festival

1911 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDING FOR SALE 

Columbia, New York 1912-03? 
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich teure Halle A5427 30987

Edith Helena (Soprano) (23. 12. 1876 Brooklyn, New York † 27. 11. 1956 Mount Kiscoe, New York)

Her real name was Edith Helen Seymour. Her mother had been a singer too. Already at the age of nine she sang in a children's choir. She studied singing under Tagliapietra and Alberto de Bassini. In 1906 her opera debut took place at the New York Academy of Music as Violetta in ‘’Traviata’’. In the 1907-1909 seasons she undertook concert tour through North America. In 1910 she joined the Aborn English Grand Opera Company and made her debut as Lucia in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’. She married the tenor of this opera troupe Domenico Russo. Since 1911 she sang at this opera society a huge number of opera parts, included Marguerite in ‘’Faust’’, Leonora in ‘’Trovatore’’, Nedda in ‘’Pagliacci’’, Mariella in ‘’I Gioielli della Madonna’’, Thaïs, Cio-Cio-San in ‘’Madama Butterfly’’, Carmen, the title part in ‘’Martha’’ and Arline in ‘’The Bohemian Girl’’. In 1918 she became a member of the Century Opera Company. Since 1921 she completely devoted herself to the Vaudeville and the musical Comedy. She also appeared in American sound films. During the 1920’s she sang under the pseudonym ‘’Mme Pompadour’’ in rococo costumes in handicrafts theaters and cinemas. In 1941 she again sang at the Roxy Theater in New York. She opened in Mount Kiscoe a delicatessen store and at the end moved herself to the sales of exclusive upholstered furniture.

Chronology of some appearances

1906 New York Academy of Music

1907-1909 Tour through North America

1910 Aborn English Grand Opera Company 

RECORDING FOR SALE 

G&T, Berlin 1904
Sonnambula (Bellini): Ah non giunge 53151  1753k

Helen Stanley (Soprano) (Cincinnati, Ohio / state, USA 24. 2. 1889 † Pennsylvania / state, USA ? 11. 1969)

She made her debut in 1911 at the Municipal Theater in Wurzburg, where she remained during a season. After her return to USA she sang in the 1912-1913 season at the Chicago Opera the following parts: Nedda in ‘’Pagliacci’’, Micaela in ‘’Carmen’’, Maliella in ‘’I Gioielli della Madonna’’ and Princes in ‘’Cendrillon’’. In the 1913-1915 seasons she travelled around the USA with the Century Opera Company and in the 1915-1916 season was engaged again by the Chicago Opera, here she appeared with success as Donna Elvira in ‘’Don Giovanni’’ (1915). During the 1920’s she was a member of the Opera Company in Canada and at the Philadelphia Opera, where in 1928 she sang the part of Sieglinde in ‘’Walküre’’. She was married the known American concert manager Loudon Charlton. 

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Wurzburg Municipal Theater

1912-1913 Chicago Opera

1913-1915  USA Century Opera Company

1915-1916 Chicago Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Edison, New York 1914-11
Elégie (Massenet) 82079 BA 28215
O dry those tears (del Riego) 82071 82333

Samuel Hybbinette (Tenor) (Stockholm 31.1.1876 - Stockholm 12. 2. 1939)

He studied medicine at the Stockholm University and became one of the most significant Swedish surgeons of his time. Beside medical activities he had the second career as a concert singer. He was a pupil of Gillis Bratt in Stockholm and in 1900 won a singing competition in Uppsala. Later several times he gave a concerts in Stockholm. In 1916 he undertook a Scandinavian tour. In 1919 he took part in concert in Denmark. Once, in 1921, he appeared also on the stage in Stockholm. 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Gramophone, Stockholm 1913-08-26
Rigoletto (Verdi): La donne è mobile 2-52855 5372ab
Süsse Träume (Elling) 4-42550 5373ab

Regina Vicarino (Soprano) (New York 1885 - ?)

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Manhattan Opera Carmen (Micaela)

1910 Philadelphia Opera House Louise (Camille)

1910 Philadelphia Opera House Faust (Siebel)

1910 Philadelphia Opera House Faust Lakme (Rose)

1911 Philadelphia Opera House Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1911 Boston Opera House Lucia di Lammermoor (Lucia)

1916 Philadelphia Opera House Lucia di Lammermoor (Lucia)

RECORDING FOR SALE

National Music Lovers
Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome 1031  19108-A

Florence Macbeth (Soprano) (1889 - 1966)

After her education in New York and Paris she gave her first concert in Scheveningen (1912). The next year she participated in concert under Thomas Beecham in London. In 1913 she made  her stage debut at the Court Theater in Brunswick as Rosina in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’. She guested at the Court Theater of Darmstadt, sang the part of Olympia at the Court Opera of Dresden in ‘’Les contes d'Hoffmann’’ (1913) and joined in 1914 to the Chicago Opera, where she remained (with an interruption in the 1916-1918 seasons) till 1930. She made her debut there as Rosina in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’ and appeared with great success as Amina in ‘’La Sonnambula’’, Lucia di Lammermoor, Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Adina in ‘’Elisir d'amore’’, Martha, Ophélie in ‘’Hamlet’’, Micaela in ‘’Carmen’’, Mimi in ‘’La Bohème’’, Traviata, Eudoxia in ‘’La Juive’’ and Zerline in ‘’Fra Diavolo’’. In 1919 she sang in Chicago the role of Anna in the American première of A. Catalani’s ‘’Loreley’’. In the 1921-1922 season she took part in North American tour as a member of the Cosmopolitan Opera. Till 1931 she made guest appearances at the Ravinia festival, among other things in the 1928-1929 season with great success as Lisetta in G. Puccini’s ‘’La Rondine’’. In the 1927-1928 season she performed at the San Francisco Opera in ‘’Martha’’ and ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’, ‘’Fra Diavolo’’. After her retirement she was active as pedagogue. In 1950 she married the author James M. Cain.

Chronology of some appearances

1913 Brunswick Court Theater
1913 Dresden Court Opera
1914-1930 Chicago Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, New York 1916-04-07
Parla Waltz (Arditi) A5867 48684

Columbia, New York 1920-06-21
Linda di Chamounix (Donizetti): O luce di quest'anima  A6173 49848

Columbia, New York 1920-07-20
Carnevale di Venezia (arr Benedict) A6173 49868

Columbia, New York 1921-03-04
Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome A6189 49944

Columbia, New York 1921-10-06
Mignon (Thomas): Io son Titania (Polonaise) A6219 49993

Columbia, New York 1922-08-11
Kom Kjyra (Norwegian Echo Song) (Thrane) A3895 80523

Columbia, New York 1923-06-01
Pierrot (Roberts) 30003-D 81063