Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

May 23, 2015

Karl Jörn (Tenor) (Riga, Latvia 1873 - Denver, Colorado 1947)



                                                             George Brown

                                                                 Lohengrin

He made his debut (1896) at Freiburg as Lionel in ‘’Martha’’. On 13. 12. 1904 he appeared at the Berlin Hofoper in the premiere of R. Leoncavallo’s "Der Roland von Berlin". He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera for six seasons (1908-1914). In 1914, at the Berlin Deutschen Opernhausin, he sang the title role  in the première of R. Wagner's ‘’Parsifal’’. He was the favorite singer emperor Wilhelm II, who gave him several times souvenirs. In 1916 he accepted the American citizenship. During the 1920’s he lost his whole property and lived completely forgotten as a singing teacher in Denver (Colorado). When Johanna Gadski,  in the 1929-1931 seasons, undertook a North America tour with the German Opera Company, she invited him to take part in it and he appeared again with success as Tristan, Siegmund and Siegfried. In 1932 he opened in New York a vocal studio, however sat down later again in Denver. He was married the soprano Else Jörn-Becker.

Chronology of some appearances


1898-1899 Zurich Stadttheater
1899-1902 Hamburg Stadttheater
1902-1908 Berlin Hofoper.
1905-1908 London Covent Garden
1908-1914 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE










G&T, Berlin 1903-04/05
Carmen (Bizet): Ich seh' die Mutter dort with Dietrich 044014 47Ѕy
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Ihr Wangenpaar 2-425461595x
Martha (Flotow): Ja, seit frьh'ster Kindheit Tagen with Nebe 44210 1666Ѕx
Carmen (Bizet): Hier an den Herz (Blumenarie) 2-42608 1668x
Lohengrin (Wagner): In fernem Land 042003 43y

G&T, Berlin 1903-05/06
Martha (Flotow): Lass' mich dir sagen with Dietrich 44216 1754x

G&T, Berlin 1904-03/04
Lohengrin (Wagner): In fernem Land 2-42862 1785L

G&T, Berlin 1904-11/12
Fliegende Hollander (Wagner): Mit Gewitter und Sturm 3-42084 2413L

G&T, Berlin 1905-01?
Trovatore (Verdi): Dass nur noch einmal (Mal reggendo) with Runge 44498 2645L

G&T, Berlin 1905-09?
Lohengrin (Wagner): Mein lieber Schwan! 042119 496i

G&T, Berlin 1906-03?
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Land so wunderbar! 3-42547

G&T, Berlin 1906-09
Trovatore (Verdi): Hab' Erbarmen, o Herr with Dietrich & chorus 2-44133 4705h
Lohengrin (Wagner): Nun sei bedankt (w. chorus) 3-42721 4723h

Gramophone, Berlin 1908-04
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Zur Rettung aller bin ich erkoren with Destinn 044079 0816v
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Dieses Wort deiner Liebe with Destinn 044080 0817v


















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