Werner Alberti (Tenor) ( Gnessin 1863 - Berlin 1934)

The real name of this german tenor is Werner Krzywonos. He was born in Gnesen, Poland. He worked as a bank employee in Berlin, later he studied with Martin Roder in Berlin and with Mariano Padilla y Ramos, the husband of Desiree Artôt. In 1887 Alberti made his debut as a concert singer in Berlin, In the 1887-88 season he took a concert tours through completely Germany and through Switzerland. In 1888 he was engaged by Angelo Neumann to the German Theater in Prague. Here he made his debut as Manrico in ‘’Il Trovatore’’. From Prague he guested in 1889 at  the Vienna State Opera, he also appeared in St. Petersburg and Moscow. He remained till 1894 in Prague. In 1895 Alberti made very successful guest performance at the Teatro Margherita in Genoa and at the Teatro Lirico in Milan under the direction of Pietro Mascagni. From 1900 to 1902 he was engaged by the National Opera Theatre of Budapest. Later he lived in Berlin where he was often appeared at the Kroll Opera. In 1903 Alberti guested at the Vienna State Opera as Wilhelm Meister in ‘‘Mignon’’ of A. Thomas, in 1905 as Arnoldo in Rossini’s ‘’Guglielmo Tell’’. In 1907 he performed at the State Opera of Dresden. In 1917 he made guest performances in Bucharest and at the Teatro San Carlo, Lisbon. Laler he worked as a pedagoge in Berlin. Critics admired with metallic shine of his timbre and his ringing top notes. Werner Alberti died in Berlin.

At the height of his popularity Werner Alberti got a contract for an American tour and arrived in New York to begin it. He then received a telegram that his mother was quite ill, broke his contract and immediately returned to Germany. He never got another chance to come to the United States.

I wish to thank David Martin for providing me this information

Chronology of some appearances

1895 Genova  Teatro Margherita Trovatore (Manrico)

1896  Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1896 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1897 Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1897 Milano  Teatro Lirico Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)