GERMAN BARITONE HANS MELMS (1869-1941) CDR

 

HANS MELMS (BERLIN, 17 JUNE, 1869 – BERLIN, 28 AUGUST, 1941)

 

 

Hans Melms was a distinguished baritone whose career spanned notable opera houses in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He made his debut in 1892 at the Hoftheater in Altenburg, Thuringia, embarking on a journey that would take him to various prominent theaters and opera houses.

In the 1893–1894 season, he performed at the Stadttheater in Würzburg, followed by a stint at the Stadttheater in Olmütz during the 1894–1895 season. His rising reputation led him to engagements at the Stadttheater in Chemnitz (1895–1897) and the Opernhaus in Cologne (1897–1898). From 1898 to 1902, he graced the stage of the Stadttheater in Magdeburg, showcasing his growing repertoire and dramatic capabilities.

In 1902, he joined the Hofoper in Vienna, debuting as Tonio in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. He remained there until 1904, later appearing at the Nationaltheater in Berlin for the 1904–1905 season. He subsequently joined the Volksoper in Vienna from 1905 to 1907. Returning to the Hofoper in Vienna for the 1907–1909 seasons, he performed again at the Volksoper in 1909–1910 before concluding his Vienna engagements with another term at the Hofoper from 1910 to 1914.

Beyond his regular appointments, he made guest appearances at several prestigious venues, including the Opernhaus in Leipzig (1900), the Hofoper in Munich (1901), and the Deutschen Theater in Brünn (1903).

Repertoire Highlights

Renowned for his versatility, he excelled in roles ranging from the heroic to the dramatic. His repertoire included:

Pizarro in Fidelio

Hans Heiling in H. Marschner’s Hans Heiling

The Hunter in C. Kreutzer’s Das Nachtlager von Granada

Telramund in Lohengrin

Wotan in Die Walküre

Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde

Rigoletto in Verdi’s Rigoletto

Count di Luna in Il Trovatore

Nelusco in Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine

Valentin in Gounod’s Faust

Wolfram in Wagner’s Tannhäuser

After 1917, he settled in Berlin, where he later transitioned into film appearances, demonstrating his adaptability and enduring presence in the performing arts.

Chronology of some appearances

1892 Altenburg Hoftheater

1893-1894 Wurzburg Stadttheater

1894-1895 Olmütz Stadttheater

1895-1897 Chemnitz Stadttheater

1897-1898 Cologne Opernhaus

1900 Leipzig Opernhaus

1901 Munich Hofoper

1898-1902 Magdeburg Stadttheater

1903 Brünn Deutschen Theater

1902-1904 Vienna Hofoper

1904-1905 Berlin Nationaltheater

1905-1907 Vienna Volksoper

1907-1909 Vienna Hofoper

1909-1910 Vienna Volksoper

1910-1914 Vienna Hofoper

TRACKLIST

Odeon, Wien 1906/1907

Carmen (Bizet): Torerolied 38347Africana (Meyerbeer): Ballade des Nelusco 38353

Traviata (Verdi): Di Provenza 22016

Tannhäuser (Wagner): Wohl wusst’ ich 51441

Guillaume Tell (Rossini): Terzett (w. Maikl & Wissiak) 38357

Pathé, Wien 1907?

Africaine (Meyerbeer): Ballade des Nelusko 38265

Pathé, Wien 1908?

Tannhäuser (Wagner): Wohl wusst’ ich 38665

Trovatore (Verdi): Befreit, o welche Seligkeit (w. Jeritza) 38656

Mignon (Thomas): Schwalbenduett (w. Jeritza) 38666

Gramophone, Wien 1908

Traviata (Verdi): Hat dein heimatlches land 22853 12839u

Trovatore (Verdi): Ihres Auges 228541 2835u

Zonophone, Wien 1908

Tannhäuser (Wagner): O kehr’ zurück X-22843

Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dir hohe Liebe X-22844