Description

FREDERICK JAGEL (JUNE 10, 1897, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – JULY 5, 1982, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA)

 

 

 

 

He began his musical education in New York under William Brady and Vincenzo Portanova, later refining his skills in Milan with Corace Cataldi-Tassoni. In 1924, he made his operatic debut at the Teatro Politeama in Livorno, performing as Rodolfo in La Bohème under the name Federico Jeghelli. This marked the beginning of a series of guest appearances across various Italian opera stages, as well as a season with the Italian Opera in Holland.

By 1927, he joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he would remain a prominent figure for over two decades, performing under his real name, Frederick Jagel. His debut role at the Met was as Radamès in Aida. Jagel was celebrated for his mastery of the Italian repertoire, though he also took on challenging Wagnerian roles such as Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, and Tristan. In 1930, he played Gritzko in the premiere of Mussorgsky’s The Fair at Sorochyntsi, and his portrayal of Herod in R. Strauss’s Salome became one of his signature roles.

Jagel’s tenure at the Met saw him participate in the premieres of several significant works, including Montemezzi’s La notte di Zoraima (1931), Alfano’s Madonna Imperia (1928), Seymour’s In the Pasha’s Garden (1935), and Rocca’s Il Dibuk (1936). In 1948, he took on the title role in the premiere of Britten’s Peter Grimes. After a long and distinguished career, he retired from the stage in 1950.

In addition to his work at the Met, Jagel was a frequent guest at the San Francisco Opera from 1930 onwards, and he also performed at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires during the 1928 and 1939-1941 seasons. He made a notable appearance in Lohengrin at the Chicago Opera in 1943 and portrayed Herod at the City Center Opera in 1942. After retiring, he resided first in New York and later in San Francisco, alongside his wife, the American soprano Nancy Viarini.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1924 Livorno Teatro

1927 Metropolitan Opera

1928 Buenos Aires Teatro Colón

1930 San Francisco Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

Richard Strauss: Elektra

Recorded At – Carnegie Hall

Baritone Vocals [Orest] – Julius Huehn

Bass Vocals [Guardian To Orest] – Abrasha Robovsky

Composed By – Richard Strauss

Conductor – Artur Rodzinski

Mezzo-soprano Vocals [Clytemnestra] – Enid Szantho

Orchestra – New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

Soprano Vocals [Chrysothemis] – Charlotte Boerner

Soprano Vocals [Elektra] – Rose Pauly

Tenor Vocals [Aegisthus] – Frederick Jagel

Carnegie Hall, March 21, 1937.