Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Dec 8, 2014

Fritz Krauss (Tenor) (Lehenhammer 1883 - Überlingen 1976)




He studied singing in Munich, Milan and Berlin and in 1911 made his debut at the Municipal Theatre in Bremen. Then he was engaged by the Municipal Theatre in Gdansk (1912-14), sang at the Court Theatre in Kassel (1914-15) and at the Opera House in Cologne (1915-21). Since 1921 for more than twenty years he appeared with success at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. From 1925-28 he sang as guest at the Städtische Oper Berlin. In 1922 he performed at the Salzburg festival, where sang the role of  Ferrando in ‘’Così fan tutte’’, in 1927 Florestan in ‘’Fidelio’’ and Belmonte in "Entführung aus dem Serail". As guest he appeared in 1927 at the Wagner festival in Paris, between 1927-28 at the Dresden State Opera. In 1934 he appeared in Basel. From 1921 to 1932 and again in 1939 he sang as a guest at the Vienna State Opera. Krauss also made guest appearances at the Berlin State Opera, at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona and  at the Opera House in Frankfurt a. Several times he was to be heard at the Covent Garden in London, among other things in 1926 as Don Ottavio in ‘’Don Giovanni’’ under Bruno Walter. At the Munich State Opera he sang in 1927 in the premiere of the opera "Das Himmelskleid" by Wolf-Ferrari, in 1931 in "Das Herz" of Hans Pfitzner (the second premiere took place the same day in Berlin). His repertoire included Tamino, Idomeneo of Mozart, Hüon in ‘’Oberon’’ of Weber, Lyonel in ‘’'Martha’’, Aubry in "Der Vampyr" by Marschner, Lohengrin, Walther von Stolzing, Galba in  "Die toten Augane"  by d'Albert, Riccardo in Verdi’s ‘’Ballo in maschera’’, Alvaro in ‘’La forza del destino’’, Rodolfo in ‘’La Bohème’’’, Kalaf in ‘’Turandot’’, Chapelou in "Postillon von Lonjumeau" by Adam, Raoul in ‘’Huguenots’’, Hans in "Verkauften Braut", Hoffmann in "Hoffmanns Erzählungen"  and Sylvain in "Glöckchen des Eremiten" by Maillart. In 1940 he retired from the stage and worked as a song pedagogue in Munich. There he sang in his 60. Birthday again the role of Lohengrin. Later he lived in Überlingen.

Chronology of some appearances

1911-1912 Bremen Municipal Theatre
1912-1914 Gdansk Municipal Theatre
1914-1915 Kassel Court Theatre
1915-1921 Cologne Opera House
1921-1941 Munich Bavarian State Opera
1925-1928 Berlin Städtische Oper

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Vox, Berlin 1921-12?
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Land so wunderbar *03013

Vox, Berlin 1922-01/02?
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Ihr Wangenpaar *03068
Alessandro Stradella (Flotow): Hymne *03068
Bohème (Puccini): Che gelida manina (It) *03067
Forza del destino (Verdi): In dieser feierlichen Stunde with Renner *04014
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Enzo Grimaldo with Renner *04015
Bohème (Puccini): Ach, Geliebte with Renner *04015


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