Desider Zádor (Baritone) (Horna Krupa, Hungary 8/3 1873 – Berlin, Germany 24/4 1931)

Berlin Staats-Theater Lohengrin (1921)

First he became a teacher. He studied singing under Adele Passy-Cornet in Budapest, then went for the further studies to Vienna. He made his debut in 1898 at the Stadttheater of Czernowitz (Tschernowzy) as Count in "Figaros Hochzeit". In the 1898-1901 seasons he sang at the Stadttheater in Elberfeld, from 1901 to 1906 at the Deutschen in Prague (among other things in 1903 in the premiere of Cesare Rossi’s opera "Nadeya"). Then he made guest appearances at the Hofoper in Dresden and Munich. In the 1906-1908 seasons and in 1910 he had a huge success at the Covent Garden in London,  in 1906 and 1909 at the Stadttheater of Zurich. Famous he became notable by his magnificent interpretation of the Alberich in R. Wagner’s ‘’Ring-Zyklus’’. In the 1906-1911 seasons he had a successful career at the Berlin Komischen Oper; here on 21. 2. 1907 he sang the part of the black violinist in the premiere of the opera "Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe" by F. Delius. He appeared there also in the Berlin première of R. Leoncavallo’s ‘’Zazà’’ (1908) and had a special success as father in ‘’Louise’’ of G. Charpentier. In 1910 he appeared during the Beethoven Fest in the Hague as Pizarro in ‘’Fidelio’’. In the 1911-1916 seasons he sang at the Hofoper in Dresden (among other things in 1913 in the premiere of "Coeur As" by E. Künneke), in the 1916-1919 seasons he was active as singer and conductor at the National Opera in Budapest. In the 1920-1924 seasons he was engaged by the Staatsoper in Berlin and also guested again at the London Covent Garden. In the 1922-1924 seasons he made guest appearances in North America with the German Opera Company. In 1923 at the Great Northern Theatre in Chicago he participated in the American première of the opera "Der Evangelimann" of W. Kienzl, which was repeated in 1924 in New York. Since 1924 up to his death he was a member of the Städtischen Oper in Berlin, where he appeared mostly as comprimario and sang also the parts of bass. Married the contralto Emma Zador-Basst . 

Chronology of some appearances

1898 Czernowitz Stadttheater
1898-1901 Elberfeld Stadttheater
1901-1906 Prague  Deutschen
1906 Zurich Stadttheater
1906 Berlin Komischen Oper
1906-1908 London Covent Garden
1909 Zurich Stadttheater
1910 London Covent Garden
1910 The Hague Opera
1911-1916 Dresden  Hofoper  
1916-1919 Budapest National Opera
1920-1924 Berlin Staatsoper 
1922-1924 North America Tour
1923 Chicago Great Northern Theatre
1924-1931 Berlin  Städtischen Oper

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 
 

G&T, Praha 1903? (late)
Rheingold (Wagner): Fluch 2-42823 1920x

Gramophone, Berlin 1908
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Den Tag seh' ich erscheinen 4-42120 6841L
Tannhäuser (Wagner): O Himmel, lass' dich jetzt erflehen 4-42121 6842L
Faust (Gounod): 8) Da ich n un verlassen soll (Valentins Gebet) 4-42077 12274u
Faust (Gounod): 28) Valentins Tod, pt 2 042164 0782v

Gramophone, Berlin 1909-03-29
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Jerum, jerum (Schusterlied) 4-42212 844ab
Rheingold (Wagner): Bin ich nun frei (Alberichs Fluch) 4-42213 845ab

Gramophone, Berlin 1909-05-12
Der Kuss (Beethoven) 4-42238 1027ab
Margreth am Tore (Jensen) 4-42239 1029ab

Gramophone, Berlin 1911-06-13
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Arie des St Bris (w. Ensemble) 042299 2232c
Africaine (Meyerbeer): Wie hat mein Herz geschlagen 042300 2233c

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Cyrena van Gordon (Contralto) (Camden, Ohio September 4, 1893 ? - New York City April 4, 1964)

She was born Cyrena Pocock. She studied singing at the Cincinnati conservatoire under the pedagogue Louise Dotti. In 1913 she was engaged by the conductor Cleofonte Campanini for the Chicago Opera, where she made her debut in 1913 as Amneris in ‘’Aida’’. On 26. 12. 1917 she appeared there in the premiere of the opera ‘’Azora’’ by Henry Hadley. In 1921 she sang at the same opera house the part of Brünnhilde in ‘’Walküre’’, however, this remained the only soprano part of the singer. On 4. 11. 1929 she appeared in the opening performance of the new opera house Chicago Opera in a gala performance of G. Verdi’s ‘’Aida’’ (as Amneris). At the Chicago Opera her repertoire included Ortrud in ‘’Lohengrin’’, Fricka, Erda, Marina in ‘’Boris Godunov’’ (1920, with Fedor Schaljapin), Dalila in ‘’Samson et Dalila’’, Ulrica in ’’Ballo in maschera’’, Azucena in ‘’Trovatore’’ and Principessa in ‘’Suor Angelica’’. In 1933 she joined for a season to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she performed as Amneris in ‘’Aida’’ as the only role. At the Philadelphia Opera she sang among other things in 1935 in the American première of the opera ‘’Iphigénie en Aulide’’ by Gluck. Later she had her residence in New York, where she still been active as pedagogue. 

Chronology of some appearances

1913-1920's Chicago Opera

1933 Metropolitan Opera New York

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Edison, New York 1919-08-05/07 

Favorita (Donizetti): O mio Fernando 82180 6901-C

Edison, New York 1919-10

Trovatore (Verdi): Stride la vampa 82180 6959-C

Columbia, New York 1921-03-01
Rock of Ages (Hastings) A3398 79743
Shall we gather at the river (Lowry) A3398 79744

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Mary von Ernst (Soprano) (25. Januar 1888 Saarburg, † 7. August 1949 Herrenalb-Gaistal)

She was born Mary Rudy. Under her real name she made her debut in 1906 at the Court Theater of Coburg, after she had been in Paris a pupil of the famous pedagogue Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone. In the 1907-1909 seasons she belonged to the ensemble of the Municipal Theater of Plauen, then sang during a season at the Municipal Theater in Bremen and in the 1910-1913 seasons she appeared at the Municipal Theater of Basel. In 1913 she was engaged by the Court Theater in Karlsruhe, where she performed with great success till 1932. She sang there among other things in the premiere of the opera ‘’Die Rauhensteiner Hochzeit’’ of Hermann von Waltershausen (1919). Her repertoire included the Queen of the night in ‘’Zauberflöte’’, Donna Anna in ‘’Don Giovanni’’, Susanna in ‘’Figaros Hochzei’’t, Constance in ‘’Entführung aus dem Serail’’, Martha, Leonore in ‘’Alessandro Stradella’’, Mrs. Fluth in ‘’Lustigen Weibern von Windsor’’, Zerbinetta in ‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’, Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Violetta in ‘’La Traviata’’, Alice in ‘’Falstaff’’, Musetta and Mimi in ‘’La Bohème’’, Anna in ‘’La Dame blanche’’, Rosina in ‘’Barbiere di Siviglia’’, Olympia in ‘’Les contes d'Hoffmann’’ and Philine in ‘’Mignon’’. She made successful guest appearances at the State Operas of Berlin, Munich, Dresden and Stuttgart, also at the Opera Houses of Zurich (1917) and Cologne and at the Municipal Theater of Bremen. Later she taught singing in Karlsruhe. Soprano Elisabeth Friedrich belonged to her pupils. 

Chronology of some appearances

1906 Coburg Court Theater 

1907-1909 Plauen Municipal Theater 

1910-1913 Basel Municipal Theater

1913-1932 Karlsruhe Court Theater

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Vox, Berlin 1922-12?
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Schwör als Gattin mir ewige Treue 02103 856A   
Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Sie entfloh, die Taube so minnig 02103 857A 

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Leonilda Paini (Gabbi) (Parma, Italia 1863 - Parma, Italia 1919)

First she studied singing at the Regal School of Music in Parma, then perfected her vocal technique under the vocal pedagogue Pio Ferrari. In 1882 she made her debut at the Teatro Magnani of Borgo San Donnino as mezzosoprano. Probably she made her second debut in 1890 at the Teatro Regio in Parma as Aida in G. Verdi’s ‘’Aida’’. Her sister was the famous soprano Adalgisa Gabbi.

Chronology of some appearances

1887 Borgo San Donnino Teatro Magnani Ruy Blas (Maria)

1889 Parma Teatro Regio Don Carlo (Elisabetta)

1891 Ravenna Teatro Alighieri Aida (Aida)

1895 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Falstaff (Alice)

1897 Marsiglia Teatro Alhambra Ballo in Maschera (Amelia)

1901 Fiume Teatro Comunale Aida (Aida)

1902 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Aida (Aida)

RECORDING FOR SALE

Columbia, Milano 1903?

Norma (Bellini): Casta diva 10125

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