Description

CHARLES KULLMAN (NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, JANUARY 13, 1903 – NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, FEBRUARY 8, 1983)

His family was of German descent. At the age of eight, he sang in a church choir. While studying at Yale University, he performed a solo with the Glee Club and won a singing competition. From 1924 to 1927, he trained at the Juilliard School, and he continued his studies at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau under Thomas Salignac. In 1928, he gave a concert in Berlin, and in 1929, he embarked on a two-year tour with the American Opera Company, making his debut as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. Also in 1929, he performed at Smith College in Northampton in the American premiere of C. Monteverdi’s Orfeo.

In 1931, he performed Pinkerton as his debut role at the Berlin Kroll Opera alongside Jarmila Novotna. That same year, he was a soloist in the world premiere of Paul Hindemith’s Das Unaufhörliche in Berlin and appeared at the State Opera in the world premiere of Hans Pfitzner’s Das Herz. He joined the Berlin State Opera in 1932, where he performed until 1936. During the 1934–1936 seasons, he was also a member of the Vienna State Opera, participating in the premiere of Julius Bittner’s Das Veilchen in 1934. He achieved significant success at the Salzburg Festival (1934–1936), where he sang roles such as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger, Hüon in Oberon, the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, and Da-Ud in Richard Strauss’s Die ägyptische Helena.

In the 1934–1935 season and again in 1938, he made guest appearances at Covent Garden in London, including the English premiere of Schwanda der Dudelsackpfeifer by J. Weinberger in 1934. In 1935, he joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Faust. Over the course of 25 seasons, he sang 33 roles in 283 performances at the Met, remaining with the company until 1962. In 1940, he made guest appearances with the Chicago Opera, and from 1936 to 1954, he performed regularly with the San Francisco Opera. In 1938, he sang the tenor solo in Verdi’s Requiem under Arturo Toscanini in New York. He became known as a film singer in both Germany and later in the USA. Beginning in 1956, he taught at the Indiana School of Music in Bloomington.

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) Holde Aida DWX5038 WRX17 Columbia, 1931-11
2. Beautiful garden of roses (Dempsey-Schmid) DB1439 CA14523 Columbia, 1934-05-26
3. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Die Liebe für’s Leben DW3011 WR223 Columbia, 1931-12
4. Das Lied der Liebe (Strauss-Korngold) Die eine Frau DW3014 WR239 Columbia, 1931-12
5. Das Lied der Liebe (Strauss-Korngold) Du bist mein Traum DW3014 WR240 Columbia, 1931-12
6. Der Teufelsreiter (Kálmán) So verliebt kann nur ein Ungar sein DW3027 WR305 Columbia, 1932-03
7. Der Zirkusprinzessin (Kálmán) Zwei Märchenaugen DW3027 WR306 Columbia, 1932-03
8. Die lockende Flamme (Künnecke) Was bist du ohne mich DW3077 WR561 Columbia, 1932
9. Eine Ncht in Venedig (Strauss) Komm in die Gondel DW3046 WR405 Columbia, 1932-08
10. For love of you (Pola-Vienna) DB1370 WA14388 Columbia, 1934-04
11. Fortune Teller (Herbert) Gypsy love song DB1812 CA17009 Columbia, 1938-06-22
12. Frau Luna (Lincke) Castles in the air DB1370 WA14390 Columbia, 1934-04
13. Her name is Mary (Ramsey-Siever) DB1006 WA13104 Columbia, London 1932-10
14. I love thee (Grieg) DB1400 CA14498 Columbia, 1934-05-14
15. Love here is my heart (Silesù) DB1227 CA13734 Columbia, 1933-06-20
16. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Morgenlich leuchtend LX729 CAX8245 Columbia, 1938-06-20
17. On the road to Mandalay (Kipling-Speaks) DB1842 CA17005 Columbia, 1938-06-20
18. Only my song (Lehár-de Curtis) DB1006 WA13103 Columbia, London 1932-10
19. Prince Igor (Borodin) Tageslicht langsam erlischt LX396 CAX7552 Columbia, 1935-06-18
20. Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Di rigori armato DW3051 WR427 Columbia, 1932
21. Still as the night (Bohm) DB1400 CA14499 Columbia, 1934-05-14
22. The world is mine tonight (Marvel-Posford) DB1579 CA15110 Columbia, 1935-06-19
23. Thora (Weatherley-Adams) DB1439 CA14525 Columbia, 1934-05-26