Lilly Hafgren-Waag (Soprano) (Stockholm, Sweden 1884 - Berlin, Germany 1965)

with Rudolf Berger

with Rudolf Berger

                                                     with Herman Jadlowker

Her father Johan Erik Hafgren was theatrical director, mother Maria Malmgren (1859-1931) was a concert singer. Her brother, Lill-Erik Hafgren (1881-1959), was known as a composer, conductor, pianist and music pedagogue. Originally she wanted to become a pianist, but on the advice of Siegfried Wagner, she studied singing at the conservatoire in Frankfurt am Main (1898). Then she was a pupil of Max Fleisch in Stuttgart. After perfecting her vocal in Milan, she made her debut in 1908 at the Bayreuth Festival  as Freia in R. Wagner’s ‘’Rheingold’’. In the 1908-1910 seasons she appeared at the Hofheater in Mannheim. From 1912 to 1920 she sang at the Hofoper in Berlin. Here in 1913 she sang the part of Elisabetta in the (late) première of G. Verdi’s ‘’Don Carlo’’. In 1920 she took part in the première of R. Strauss’s opera ‘’Frau ohne Schatten’’. In 1913 she was the title figure in the première of the first version of ‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’. In 1916 she also sang in the première of the second version at the Hofoper in Berlin. She made guest appearance in Milan (La Scala), Paris (Grand Opéra), Rome (Teatro Costanzi), Stockholm (1926), Madrid, Bucharest, Warsaw and Prague. In 1912 at the Opera of Frankfurt a. M., among other things she sang the part of Eva in R. Wagner's ‘’Meistersingern’’. She was very successful at the Bayreuth Festival and here she appeared in 1908 as Freia in ‘’Rheingold’’, the next year sang the part of Elsa in ‘’ Lohengrin’’. In the 1911-1912 season and in 1924 she took part in ‘’Meistersingern’’. In the 1933-1935 seasons she was engaged again by the Staatsoper in Dresden. She had her residence in Berlin. First she was married to the director Hans Waag (1876-1941), then to the businessman Dinkela.

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Bayreuth Festival
1908-1910 Mannheim Hofheater
1912 Frankfurt a. M. Opera
1912-1920 Berlin Hofoper
1926 Stockholm Royal Opera
1933-1935 Dresden Staatsoper

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Odeon, Berlin 1910?
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Dir, o Selika with Fritz Vogelstrom 99657 xB5148
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Das Schiff Don Pedros liegt drunten with Fritz Vogelstrom 99656 xB5149

Grammophon, Berlin 1921-01?
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich teure Halle 65644 329as
Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Senta-Ballade 65644 339as
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Unter dem Manzanillobaum 65595 337as
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Blumen so schön und rot 65595 338as
Walküre (Wagner): Der Männer Sippe 65677

Grammophon, Berlin 1922?
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Quintett with Olszewska,Soot, Henke & von Manowarda 78543 746av