Béla Környei (Tenor) (Krumau 1875 - Budapest 1925)

He was known as a Hungarian Caruso. He was a pupil of Iso Barna at Budapest and began his theatrical activity in 1896 at the Opera House in Debrecen as a Chorist in the baritone field. In 1898 he was already a soloist and then was engaged in the 1900-1903 seasons by the Opera House in Temesvar (Timisoara). After a retraining to the heroic tenor by F. Mancio and E. Gärtner at Vienna he made his second debut in 1907 at the Budapest People's Opera in the tenor part of Don José in ‘’Carmen’’. In 1908 he was appointed to the Budapest National Opera in which he remained up to his death. He became known as an interpreter of Wagner's operas. In 1915 he appeared as a guest at the German Theatre in Prague. In the 1915-1918 seasons he belonged to the ensemble of the Vienna Court Opera. Here he sang on 16. 10. 1916 in the premiere of the new performance of ‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’ (Richard Strauss) in the role of Bacchus. In 1919 he sang at the Budapest Opera the role of Bacchus in the première of the same opera. In 1923 he undertook a South America tour. At the height of his career he died quite suddenly.

Chronology of some appearances

1896-1899 Debrecen Opera House

1900-1903 Temesvar Opera House

1907 Budapest People's Opera

1908 Budapest National Opera

1915 Prague German Theatre

1915-1918 Vienna Court Opera

1919 Budapest National Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Beka
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 58031
Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 58693
Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 58694

Trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira 58695
Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Ch’ella mi creda 58696

Aida (Verdi): Nel fiera anelito 58981

Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida 58981

Aida (Verdi): Misero appien mi festi 58982

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un tal gioco 58983
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Compar Alfio 58984

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Addio alla madre 58985

Diadal

Lohengrin (Wagner): Merce, merce D1394

Lohengrin (Wagner): S’ei torna alfin D1394

Gramophone

Walkure (Wagner): Cede il verno  4-102705

Premier

Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 1405