Josef Tijssen (Tenor) (Roermond 1871 - Kleve 1923)

                                                              Lohengrin

He studied music theory and directing at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels under A. Warnots and was active first as director of chorus and chapel master  at the Dutch Opera in Amsterdam. Then on advising his wife he studied singing under Cornélie van Zanten in Amsterdam. He appeared for the first time as a singer in ‘’Matthäus-Passion’’ by J.S Bach. He began his stage career in 1897 at the Old Dutch Opera in Amsterdam in which remained till 1902. In the 1902-1903 he was engaged by the Opernhaus in Frankfurt am Main, in the 1903-1905 seasons he appeared at the Stadttheater in Hamburg, then from 1905 to 1911 again sang in Frankfurt am Main. In the 1911-1912 season he sang at the Stadttheater in Kiel, from 1912 to 1915 at the Stuttgarter Hofoper. During the First World War he lived in Holland. In 1904 he appeared at the Bayreuth Festival as Walther von der Vogelweide in ‘’Tannhäuser’’. He made guest appearances at the Hofoper in Dresden (1904), Vienna (1905) and Munich (1908), also sang at the Hoftheater in Wiesbaden (1910) and Rotterdam (1911). His repertoire included Walther von Stolzing, Siegried, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan, Raoul in ‘’ Les Huguenots’’ and Manrico in ‘’Il Trovatore’’. He was married to the Dutch soprano Anna Tijssen-Bremerkamp. The end of his life ended tragically. He lived as a pedagogue and music professor in the town Kleve. He was stabbed in front of his house, when he became involved with troublemakers in front of his house.

Chronology of some appearances

1897-1902 Amsterdam  Old Dutch Opera

1902-1903 Frankfurt am Main Opernhaus

1903-1905 Hamburg Stadttheater

1904 Bayreuth Festival 

1904 Dresden  Hofoper

1905 Vienna Hofoper

1905-1911 Frankfurt am Main Opernhaus

1908 Munich Hofoper

1910 Wiesbaden Hoftheater

1911 Rotterdam Opera

1911-1912 Kiel Stadttheater

1912-1915 Stuttgarter Hofoper

RECORDING FOR SALE

G&T, Hamburg 1904

Faust (Gounod): O gib junges Blut with Max Lohfing 44283 1866L