Robert Leonhardt (Baritone) (Linz, Austria 1877 – New York City February 2, 1923)

He made his debut in 1898 at the Theater in Linz (Donau) and in the 1899-1900 season he was engaged by the Theater des Westens in Berlin. In the 1900-1903 seasons he appeared at the Theater in Teplitz-Schönau (Teplice). In the 1904-1905 season he again sang at the Theater des Westens. In the 1905-1909 seasons he was a member of the Deutschen Theater in Prague. Here among other things in 1905 he performed in the premieres of the operas "Flauto solo" by Eugen d'Albert and "Zierpuppen" of Anselm Goetzl. In the 1909-1911 seasons he stayed at the Opernhaus in Brünn (Brno), in the 1911-1913 seasons he joined to the Volksoper in Wien. In 1909 he appeared as a guest at the Hofoper in Wien. In 1910 he was active at the Gura-Sommer-Oper in Berlin, where he sang the parts of Beckmesser in "Meistersingern" and Alberich in Nibelungenring. At the Volksoper in Wien he sang in 1911 the part of Minstrel in the Viennese première of "Königskinder" by E. Humperdinck. On 23. 11. 1911 he appeared there in the premiere of the opera "Der Kuhreigen" by W. Kienzl. In 1913 he was engaged by the  Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he made his debut as father in ‘’Hansel und Gretel’’ by E. Humperdinck. Here on 25. 2. 1915 he performed in the premiere of the opera ‘’Madame Sans-Gêne’’ of U. Giordano.  In 1917 he participated in the premiere of the opera "The Canterbury Pilgrims" by R. de Koven. By the entry of the USA into the First World War he changed the manner of writing of his name into Robert Leonard, but in 1918 forced to retire from the stage, because of his Austrian nationality. In 1920, shortly before his death, he again joined to the same opera house. On 19. 11. 1921, as a partner of Maria Jeritza, he sang there the part of Fritz in the première of the opera "Toten Stadt" by Korngold. At the Metropolitan Opera he sang for the last time in the 1922-1923 season in G. Puccini’s ‘’Tosca’’.

Chronology of some appearances

1898 Linz Theater
1899-1900 Berlin Theater des Westens
1900-1903 Teplitz-Schönau Theater
1904-1905 Berlin Theater des Westens
1905-1909 Prague Deutschen Theater
1909 Wien Hofoper
1909-1911 Brünn Opernhaus
1910 Berlin Gura-Sommer-Oper
1911-1913 Wien Volksoper
1913-1923 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Zonophone, Berlin 1904-08/09
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papageno with Runge X-24064

G&T, Berlin 1905-01
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja 3-42167 2660L

Homokord, Berlin 1907-07-26
Don Giovanni (Mozart): Reich mir die Hand with Runge 1501
Trovatore (Verdi): Befreit, o welche Seligkeit! with Runge 1507

Homokord, Berlin 1907-07-29
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja 1214

Homokord, Berlin 1909-07-03
Don Giovanni (Mozart): Treibt der Champagner 11364

Homokord, Berlin 1909-07-05
Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Leuchte, heller Spiegel, mir 11367
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Blick' ich umher  11369

Homokord, Berlin 1909-07-23
Alessandro Stradella (Flotow): An dem linken Strand der Tiber with Lichtenstein 11388
Zar und Zimmermann (Lortzing): Darf ich wohl den Worten trauen with Lichtenstein 11389

Gramophone, Berlin 1911-08-04
Bohème (Puccini): Will ich allein des Abends in Paris mich ergeh'n with Runge 944244 15572b
Mignon (Thomas): Ihr Schwalben in den Lüften with Runge 944245 15573b

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