Leopold Demuth (Baritone) (Brünn 1861 – Czernowitz 1910)

His real name was Leopold Pokorny. His voice was discovered during his military service. He studied singing with Joseph Gänsbacher in Vienna and made his debut in 1889 at the Municipal Theatre of  Halle (Saale)  in ‘’Hans Heiling’’ of Marschner. In the 1891-96 seasons he sang at the Opera House of Leipzig, from 1896-98 Demuth appeared at the Municipal Ttheatre of Hamburg. In 1898 he was engaged by the Vienna Court Opera, where his career reached the climax. On 2. 1. 1908 he sang there in the premiere of the opera ‘’Ein Wintermärchen’’ of Goldmark. In the same year he took over at the Vienna première of d'Alberts ‘’Tiefland’’. Already in 1904 he performed at the Vienna Court Opera in an unforgettable performance of Gluck’s ‘’Iphigenie in Aulis’’. He made guest appearances at different German and Austrian opera houses. Thus he sang in the Wagner-Festspielen of Munich (1903 and 1905), at the Berlin Court Opera (1897), also in Frankfurt a. M.,Cologne, Leipzig, Wroclaw and at the German Theatre of Prague (1907). In 1899 he appeared at Bayreuth Festival the role of Hans Sachs in ‘’Meistersingers’’ and the Gunther in ‘’Götterdämmerung’’. He was married with actress Eugenie Lenau, who was engaged temporarily by the German theatre in Berlin. He was one of the best baritones of his time.

Chronology of some appearances

1889 Halle (Saale) Municipal Theatre Hans Heiling (-)

1891-1896 Leipzig Opera House

1897 Berlin Court Opera

1896-1898 Vienna Court Opera

1899 Bayreuth Festival Meistersingers (Hans Sachs)

1903 Munich Wagner-Festspielen

1905 Munich Wagner-Festspielen

1907 Prague German Theatre

 RECORDINGS FOR SALE

G&T, Wien 1903-05?

Djamileh (Bizet): Lied des Splendiano 2-42631 891z

Der fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Wie aus der Ferne 2-42767 893z

Tannhäuser (Wagner): Blick' ich umher 042062 52Hp

Tannhäuser (Wagner): Wie Todesahnung 042037 48Hp

Die Walküre (Walkure): Der Augen leuchtendes Paar 042036 46Hp

Zar und Zimmermann (Lortzing): Sonst spielt' ich mit Szepter 042039 47Hp

Faust (Gounod): Valentins Tod with Elizza 044020 59Hp

Wilhelm Tell (Rossini): Sohn, kniee nieder 2-42582 766z

Die drei Pintos (Weber): Ein Mädchen verloren 042030 19Hp

Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor Gott grüss euch, Sir with Hesch 044019 25Hp
Pikova Dama (Tchaikovsky): Als du zum Gatten mich erkorest (Arioso) 042053 49Hp

G&T, Wien 1905 (Spring)

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Erhebe dich 042117 475c

Falstaff (Verdi): Monolog 3-42344 6731b

Aida (Verdi): Ich hab' gekämpft  3-42345 6847b

G&T, Wien 1907-10?

Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Ah, Mathilde with Leo Slezak 2-44342 11806u

Nachtlager in Granada (Kreutzer): Fürwahr, es ist ein Abenteuer 042155 0746v

Gramophone, Wien 1908

Ich denke oft an's blaue Meer (Weingartner) 4-42203 13837u

Gramophone, Wien 1908

Tiefland (d'Albert): Hüll' in die Mantille 4-42202 3080u

Wintermärchen (Goldmark): O Menschenglück 4-42112 13081u

Gramophone, Wien 1908-10
Joseph (Mehul): Du bist die Stutze deines Vaters with Kittel 2-44488 13930u

Gramophone, Wien 1909-05

Meistersinger von Nurnberg (Wagner): Wie duftet doch der Flieder 042205 0992v

Siegfried (Wagner): Auf wolkigen Höh'n 4-42363 14690u

Gramophone, Wien 1909-09-14

Meistersinger von Nurnberg (Wagner): Wahn! Wahn!, pt 1, pt2  4-42283, 4-42284, 15093u, 15094u

Gramophone, Wien 1909-09-17
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Selig wie die Sonne with Forst, Kittel, Slezak and Preuss 044144 01198v

Gramophone, Wien 1909-09-21
Rigoletto (Verdi): Monolog  042240 01203v