Description

ELSA ALSEN (OBRA, PRUSSIA, 7 APRIL, 1880 – NEW YORK, U.S., 31 JANUARY, 1975)

Her father was Norwegian, and her mother was French. She moved to Breslau at the age of 17, where she studied under Jetka Finkenstein and made her concert debut as a contralto in 1900. In 1902, she made her stage debut at the Heidelberg City Theater as Azucena in Il Trovatore. She sang in Heidelberg from 1904 to 1906, at the Freiburg City Theater from 1906 to 1909, the Krefeld City Theater from 1909 to 1911, the Nuremberg City Theater from 1911 to 1913, the Hanover Court Theater from 1913 to 1915, and the Chemnitz City Theater from 1916 to 1918, where she transitioned to a more dramatic vocal range.

From 1918 to 1922, she was engaged at the Braunschweig State Theater, followed by the Berlin City Opera from 1922 to 1923. She performed at major German theaters, including the Vienna State Opera in 1923. From 1923 to 1924, she toured North America with the German Opera Company, performing roles such as Venus in Tannhäuser, Brünnhilde in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Leonore in Fidelio, and Isolde in Tristan und Isolde.

From 1925 to 1928, and again in 1934, she appeared as a guest at the Chicago Opera, where her roles included Martha in Tiefland by Eugen d’Albert, Isolde, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. She continued her career in the United States, performing with opera companies in Philadelphia, San Francisco (1927), and Hollywood. In 1937, she sang Isolde in Detroit.

Other notable stage roles included Carmen, Nancy in Flotow’s Martha, Emilia in Verdi’s Otello, Fricka in Das Rheingold, Ortrud in Lohengrin, and Hilde in Hans Pfitzner’s Der arme Heinrich. She appeared in the 1930 film The Rogue Song alongside Lawrence Tibbett. Eventually, she settled in New York, where she worked as a voice teacher. She was celebrated for her large, dramatic voice, particularly in Wagnerian roles.

TRACKLIST

1. Caro mio ben (Giordani) 5065-M W98262-10 Columbia, USA 1926-09-30
2. Der Ring an meinem Finger (Schumann) 172-M W145795-1 Columbia, USA 1928-03-23
3. Du bist die Ruh’ (Schubert) 5069-M W98260-12 Columbia, USA 1926-10-02
4. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Grane, mein Roß! P1481 2-6105 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-11-18
5. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Schubert) 5069-M W98261-13 Columbia, USA 1927-02-10
6. Liebestreu (Brahms) 146-M W144982-3 Columbia, USA 1927-11-16
7. O du fröhliche (trad) 136-M W142607-5 Columbia, USA 1926-09-24
8. Rinaldo (Händel) Lascia ch’io pianga 5065-M W98263-10 Columbia, USA 1926-09-30
9. Sapphische Ode (Brahms) 146-M W145779-2 Columbia, USA 1928-03-19
10. Seit ich ihn gesehen (Schumann) 172-M W145885-1 Columbia, USA 1928-03-23
11. Stille Nacht (Gruber) 126-M W142606-5 Columbia, USA 1926-09-24
12. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Liebestod, pt 1 and pt 2 50083-D 50083-D W98564-1 W98565-1 Columbia, USA 1928-06-22
13. Walküre (Wagner) Hojotoho! P1481 2-6084 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-11-13