Description

JOSEF VON MANOWARDA (KRAKÓW, 3 JULY, 1890 – BERLIN, 24 DECEMBER, 1942)

 

 

 

 

He came from an old Austrian noble family, and his real name was Josef Manowarda von Jana. He first attended the diplomatic academy in Vienna and then studied philosophy at the University of Graz. While in Graz, he took singing lessons, during which his remarkable voice was discovered. He made his stage debut in 1911 at the Graz City Theatre.

From 1915 to 1918, he was engaged at the Vienna Volksoper, continuing his vocal training with the renowned pedagogue Otto Iro. During his time at the Volksoper, he took part in the world premieres of Wilhelm Kienzl’s opera Das Testament (1916) and Max von Oberleithner’s Der eiserne Heiland (1917). In 1918–1919, he sang at the Wiesbaden Theatre, after which he joined the Vienna State Opera. There, on October 10, 1919, he appeared as the Messenger of the Spirits in the world premiere of Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten. He later participated in the world premiere of Egon Wellesz’s Die Bakchantinnen (June 20, 1931), in the Vienna premiere of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck (1930), and in the world premiere of Julius Bittner’s Das Veilchen (1934).

From 1922 to 1938, he was a regular presence at the Salzburg Festival. His roles there included Alfonso in Così fan tutte (1922, 1928, 1931–34), Calchas in Gluck’s Iphigenia in Aulis (1930), Rocco in Fidelio (1929–33, 1938), Barak in Die Frau ohne Schatten (1932–33), and Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde (1934). He also appeared frequently as a concert soloist, particularly in the Salzburg Cathedral concerts (1930–1934). In 1934, he sang the bass solo in Verdi’s Requiem in Salzburg under Arturo Toscanini.

From 1931 onward, he was a major member of the Bayreuth Festival ensemble. In 1931, 1934, 1939, and 1942, he distinguished himself as a great Wagner interpreter, singing Gurnemanz, Daland, Pogner, Marke, and Hagen. He also appeared successfully in Amsterdam, Brussels, at the Paris Opera (in 1941 as Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and as King Marke), at La Scala in Milan, and at the opera houses of Rome and Budapest.

Until 1935, he remained a member of the Vienna State Opera, after which he was engaged by the Berlin State Opera, though he continued to appear in Vienna as a guest through 1942. From 1932 to 1935, he was a professor at the Vienna Academy of Music. He was married to the singer Nelly Pirchof, who was a member of the Vienna State Opera from 1920 to 1925.

His voice was admired for its power, richness, and dramatic authority; owing to the breadth of his vocal range, he was also able to assume heroic baritone parts. Among his major operatic roles were King Philip in Don Carlos, Osmin, Alfonso, Gurnemanz, and Marke. He also appeared frequently and successfully as a concert and oratorio soloist.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

Auf dem Kirchhofe (Brahms) 23158 756BT I Grammophon, 1930

Aufenthalt (Schubert) 90212 5522BR8 Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Der Edelfalk 90209 (5516 BR) Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Der heilige Franziskus (Loewe) 47055 5518BR8 Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Der Schiffer (Schubert) 62765 (5520 BR) Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (Brahms) 23158 757BT I Grammophon, 1930

Die Fussreise (Wolf) 23160 752BT I Grammophon, 1930

Die Stadt (Schubert) 90212 5523BR8 Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Die Uhr, pt 1, pt 2 (Loewe) 23157, 23157, 749BT I, 750BT I Grammophon, 1930

Faust (Gounod) Rondo vom goldenen Kalb 62387 (B2040) 826½at Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Faust (Gounod) Serenade des Mephisto 62387 (B2041) 827at Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Gebet (Wolf) 23159 753BT I Grammophon, 1930

Gesang Weylas (Wolf) 23159 751BT I Grammophon, 1930

Meeresleuchten (Loewe) 90210 5519½BR8 Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Fliedermonolog 65651 (B22068) Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Selig wie die Sonne (w. Henke, Soot, Hafgren-Dinkela & Olszewska) 78543 (B25014) 746av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Verachtet mir die Meister nicht 65651 (B22069) Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Rheingold (Wagner) Abendlich strahlt 62385 (B2036) Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Siegfried (Wagner) Wache Wala 62385 (B2037) Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Spirito santo (Loewe) 90210 5517BR8 Grammophon, Berlin 1934

Verborgenheit (Wolf) 23160 754BT I Grammophon, 1930

Walküre (Wagner) Wotans Abschied 62386 (B2038) Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Wanderers Nachtlied (Schubert) 62765 (5521 BR) Grammophon, Berlin 1934