Leo Slezak (Tenor) (Šumperk, Czech Republic 1873 - Rottach-Egern, Germany 1946)

He was one of the giants of the operatic world of the first quarter of the 20th century. He began to sing as an amateur in the choir of the local theater in Brünn, and, as so often happens, began to attract attention from people able to help him, in this case baritone Adolf Robinson. In 1896 Slezak made his stage debut in Brünn as Lohengrin.

Chronology of some appearances

1896 Brünn (Brno) Stadttheater Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1898 Berlin Hofoper

1899-1901 Wroclaw Opernhaus

1900 London Covent Garden Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1901-1912 Vienna Hofoper

1901 Prague Deutschen Theater

1902 Zurich Stadttheater

1905 Brünn (Brno) Stadttheater

1905 Milan La Scala

1907 Lvov (Lwów) Opera

1907 Vienna Hofoper The Queen of Spades (Hermann) creator

1909 London Covent Garden

1909 Vienna Volksoper Otello (Otello) 

1909 Paris Théâtre Châtelet

1910 Vienna Hofoper Der Zigeunerbaron (Barinkay) creator

1910 New York Metropolitan Օpera Tannhäuser (Tannhäuser) debut

1910 New York Metropolitan Օpera The Queen of Spades (Hermann) creator

1910 Boston Opera Otello (Otello)

1910 Boston Opera Trovatore (Manrico)

1911 New York Metropolitan Opera Otello (Otello)

1912 New York Metropolitan Opera Otello (Otello)

1912 Frankfurt a. M. Oper

1916 Dresden  Hofoper

1917 Frankfurt a. M. Oper

1917-1934 Vienna Hofoper

1918 Budapest

1920 Copenhagen

1920-1921 Stockholm

1922 Basel Stadttheater

1929 Berlin
1933 Vienna Hofoper Pagliacci (Canio)

FIRST RECORDINGS FOR SALE (1901-1903)

G&T, Wien 1901-08?
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola (Siziliana) 42081 1342B
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir töne Lob 42082
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Morgenlich leuchtend 42410 213x
Ungeduld (Schubert) 42083 1344B

G&T, Wien 1902-05?
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir töne Lob 42758 2447B
Prophète (Meyerbeer): Pastorale 42755 2449B
Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Willst jenes tages 2-42523 978x
Ernani (Verdi): Arie des Ernani (Come rugiada) 42852 964x
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Dies Bildnis 42853 965½x
Aida (Verdi): Holde Aida 42900
Liebesbotschaft (Schubert) 42985 980x
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Am stillen Herd 2-42524 990x
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Ihr Wangenpaar 2-42501 979½x
Siegfried (Wagner): Nothung! (Schmiedelied) 42854 966x

G&T, Wien 1903-05/07
Trovatore (Verdi): Einsam steh' ich (Ständchen) 2-42092 970'c
Trovatore (Verdi): Lodern zum Himmel (Stretta) 2-42126 971'c
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Den Bronnen, den uns Wolfram nannte 2-42618 818z
Die Träne (Rubinstein) 2-42567 741'z
Morgenhymne (Henschel) 2-42568
Der Lenz (Hildach) 2-42569 743'z
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Arioso (Vesti la giubba) 2-42572 748z
Trovatore (Verdi): Dass nur für mich 2-42573 749z
Guillaume Tell (Rossini): O Mathilde 2-42592 820z
Prophète (Meyerbeer): Triumphgesang 2-42593 821z
Rigoletto (Verdi): Ach wie so trügerisch 2-42619
Pikova Dama (Tchaikovsky): Trinklied 2-42646
Juive (Halévy): Grosser Gott, hör' mein Flehen 2-42095 993c