Elisabeth Schumann (13 June 1888 in Merseburg – 23 April 1952 in New York) was a German lyric soprano who sang in opera, operetta, oratorio, and lieder. She left a substantial legacy of recordings. [edit] Career Schumann trained for a singing career in Berlin and Dresden. She made her stage debut in Hamburg in 1909. Her initial career started in the lighter soubrette roles that expanded into mostly lyrical roles, some coloratura roles, and even a few dramatic roles. She remained at the Hamburg Opera until 1919, also singing during the 1914-15 season at the Metropolitan Opera New York. From 1919 to 1938 she was a star of the Vienna State Opera. Her most famous role was that of Sophie in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier. In 1938 she emigrated to New York City where she lived until her death on 23 April 1952. During World War II she gave recitals but mainly taught singing, privately and at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. After the war she gave many recitals in Europe, making a particularly successful comeback in England. She was a much-loved artist, admired for her vivacity, elegance, and beauty. She was closely connected with Richard Strauss, Otto Klemperer, Lotte Lehmann, Bruno Walter, Wilhelm Furtwängler, and other leading musicians of the first half of the 20th century. [edit] Honors Honorary Member of the Vienna State Opera and the first female Honorary Member of the Vienna Philharmonic.[1] -
- Abisag, Daniel in der Löwengrube (Joseph Weigl)
- Adele, Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss II)
- Albertine, Die Brautwahl (Busoni) (role creator)
- Amore, Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck)
- Anna, L'Africaine (Meyerbeer)
- Ännchen, Der Freischütz (Weber)
- Annina, La traviata (Verdi)
- Antonia, Les contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach)
- Arsena, Der Zigeunerbaron (Johann Strauss II)
- Arsinoe, Die toten Augen (Eugen d'Albert)
- Barbarina, Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
- Bastienne, Bastien und Bastienne (Mozart)
- Bianca, Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung (Hermann Goetz)
- Blondchen, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart)
- Blumenmädchen, Parsifal (Wagner)
- Bronislawa, Der Bettelstudent (Karl Millöcker)
- Cherubino, Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
- Chorknabe, Le Prophète (Meyerbeer)
- Cornelia, Meister Grobian (Arnold Winternitz)
- Cupidon, Orphée aux enfers (Offenbach)
- Despina, Così fan tutte (Mozart)
- Dianora, Mona Lisa (Max von Schillings)
- Page, Lohengrin (Wagner)
- Page, Tannhäuser (Wagner)
- First boy, Die Zauberflöte (Mozart)
- Eva, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner)
- Frasquita, Carmen (Bizet)
- Friedensbote, Rienzi (Wagner)
- Gerhilde, Die Walküre (Wagner)
- Goose girl, Königskinder (Humperdinck)
- Gretel, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck)
- Hannerl, Das Dreimäderlhaus (Heinrich Berté)
- Heimchen, The Cricket on the Hearth (Karl Goldmark)
- Ida, Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss II)
- Ilia, Idomeneo (Mozart)
- Shepherd boy, Tannhäuser (Wagner)
- The composer, Ariadne auf Naxos (Richard Strauss)
- Esquire, Parsifal (Wagner)
- Laura, Der Ring des Polykrates (Korngold)
- Apprentice, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner)
- Lola, Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
- Luise, Ferdinand und Luise (Julius Zaiczek-Blankenau)
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- Maid, Martha (Friedrich von Flotow)
- Malgherita, Meister Andrea (Felix von Weingartner)
- Marenka, The Bartered Bride (Smetana)
- Margiana, Der Barbier von Baghdad (Peter Cornelius)
- Marguerite, Faust (Gounod)
- Marie, Zar und Zimmermann (Albert Lortzing)
- Marzellina, Fidelio (Beethoven)
- Micaëla, Carmen (Bizet)
- Mignon, Mignon (Thomas)
- Mimì, La bohème (Puccini)
- Musetta, La bohème (Puccini)
- Najade (Naiad), Ariadne auf Naxos (Richard Strauss)
- Nanette, Der Wildschütz (Lortzing)
- Nannetta, Falstaff (Verdi)
- Nedda, Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
- Norina, Don Pasquale (Donizetti)
- Nuri, Tiefland (Eugen d'Albert)
- Octavian, Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss)
- Pamina, Die Zauberflöte (Mozart)
- Papagena, Die Zauberflöte (Mozart)
- Pepa, Tiefland (Eugen d'Albert)
- Rhinemaiden, Götterdämmerung (Wagner)
- Rose, Lakmé (Delibes)
- Rose, Le postillon de Lonjumeau (Adolphe Adam)
- Sandman, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck)
- Serpina, La serva padrona (Pergolesi)
- Sophie, Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss)
- Susanna, Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
- Suschen, Die beiden Schützen (Lortzing)
- Dew fairy, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck)
- Valentin, La chanson de Fortunio (Offenbach)
- Veronika, Die Schneider von Schönau (Jan Brandts-Buys)
- Vertraute, Elektra (Richard Strauss)
- Forest bird, Siegfried (Wagner)
- Wellgunde, Das Rheingold (Wagner)
- Wellgunde, Götterdämmerung (Wagner)
- Woglinde, Das Rheingold (Wagner)
- Woglinde, Götterdämmerung (Wagner)
- Yvonne, Jonny spielt auf (Krenek)
- Zelmire, Le cadi dupé (Gluck)
- Zerlina, Don Giovanni (Mozart)
- Zerline, Fra Diavolo (Auber)
| [edit] Biography Elisabeth Schumann by (her son) Gerd Puritz (edited and translated by her granddaughter Joy Puritz), published by Grant and Cutler Ltd., London ISBN 0-7293-0394-2 [edit] External links |
