Description

SELMA KURZ (BIALA, POLAND, OCTOBER 15, 1874 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA, MAY 10, 1933)

 

 

 

 

Originally she worked as a seamstress. Her voice was discovered when she sang in the Biala synagogue. Prince Nikolaus Esterházy financed her singing studies, which she began with Johannes Ress in Vienna. She then studied in Paris with Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone and was also a student of Jean de Reszke there. In 1895 she made her debut at the Stadttheater (Opera House) in Hamburg as Mignon in the opera of the same name by A. Thomas. In 1896 she joined to the Opera House in Frankfurt a.M., where she took on the role of Elisabeth in “Tannhäuser” and then had great success as Carmen. She remained there until 1899. Gustav Mahler appointed her to the Vienna Court Opera in 1899, where she soon had sensational successes, and she stayed with her until the end of her career in 1929. At the beginning of her career, she mainly sang parts from lyric repertoire, but soon she became a celebrated coloratura soprano. In 1899 she sang at the Vienna Court Opera in the first performance of P. Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta”, in 1900 she was the Fiordiligi in a performance of the Mozart opera “Così fan tutte”, which meant a new discovery of the work. In 1907 she created the title role in “Madame Butterfly” for Vienna, in 1910 she sang in the premiere of the Johann Strauss operetta “Der Zigeunerbaron” at the Vienna Court Opera, on October 4, 1916 she appeared as Zerbinetta in the premiere of the second version of “Ariadne auf Naxos” by Richard Strauss. Until her retirement from the stage in 1929, she performed in Vienna in a total of 992 performances. In 1904 she made her debut at the Covent Garden Opera in London as Gilda in “Rigoletto”, in 1907 she created Anna for England in the first performance of A. Catalani’s “Loreley”. She was celebrated in guest appearances at the Grand Opéra in Paris, at the opera houses in Budapest, Prague and Warsaw, in Amsterdam, Ostend and Cairo. In 1908 she guested at the Monte Carlo Opera. In 1921 she traveled to North America, but gave only one concert in New York and then came back to Europe. In 1922 she sang the Constance in “Entführung aus dem Serail” at the Salzburg Festival. She was married to the Viennese gynecologist Prof. Joseph Halban and also appeared under the name Selma Kurz-Halban. In 1929 she fell ill with a long, incurable illness.  Her daughter Desi Kurz-Halban also became a well-known soprano.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Ave Maria (Tosti) 43898, 9890u G&T, Wien 1906-12
2. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Saper vorreste (It) 43738 3990h G&T, Wien 1905-12-21
3. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Saper vorreste 053275 570m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-27
4. Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Una voce poco fa 53570 15284u Gramophone, Wien 1909-10-07
5. Boheme (Puccini) Lebt wohl, ihr sussen Stunden (w. Forst, Slezak & Weidemann) 2-44237 10777u G&T, Wien 1907
6. Boheme (Puccini) Man nennt mich jetzt nur Mimi 72955 1829as Gramophone, Wien 1924
7. Boheme (Puccini) O du sussestes Madchen (w. Slezak) 2-44270 10778u G&T, Wien 1907
8. Boheme (Puccini) Sind wir allein (w. Slezak) 2-44284 10779u G&T, Wien 1907
9. Der Vogel im Walde (Taubert) 43302 2485B G&T, Wien 1902
10. Der Vogel im Walde (Taubert) X-23015 Zonophone, Wien 1902
11. Dinorah (Meyerbeer) Ombra leggiera 72849, 1304as Gramophone, Wien 1923-0607
12. Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (Mozart) Ach, ich liebte 72647, (Ho)685m Gramophone, Wien 1913-01-04
13. Ernani (Verdi) Cavatine X-23013 Zonophone, Wien 1902
14. Ernani (Verdi) Ernani involami 72846, 2070c Gramophone, Wien 1910-10-27
15. Etoile du Nord (Meyerbeer) La, la, la 043164 2068c Gramophone, Wien 1910-10-27
16. Fledermaus (Strauss) Czardas 72547, 565m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-26
17. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) O lieto suol (It) 43886 9887u G&T, Wien 1906-12
18. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Pagen-Arie 72549 707m Gramophone, Wien 1913-05-05
19. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Pagenarie X-23014 Zonophone, Wien 1902
20. Jocelyn (Godard) Berceuse 72851, 1289as Gramophone Wien 1923-0607
21. Jolie Fille de Perth (Bizet) Ah… Deh vieni (Ballata) 2-053077 (Ho)680m Gramophone, Wien 1913-01-03
22. Konigin von Saba (Goldmark) Lockruf DA735 (7-43083) HMV, Hayes 1925-10-14
23. Lakme (Delibes) Glockchen-Arie 043182 575m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-28
24. Lakme (Delibes) Glockchenarie 43887 9945u G&T, Wien 1906-12
25. Lakme (Delibes) Glockchen-Arie 72549, 575m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-28
26. Lakme (Delibes) Glockchen-Arie DB684, 575m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-28
27. Lockruf (Ruckauf) 23010 Zonophone, Wien 1902
28. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Dal ciel clemente (It) 43897 9884u G&T, Wien 1906-12
29. 29.Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sextett (w. Kittel, Preuss, Stehmann, Demuth & Hesch) 044076 0742v
30. Maria Wiegenlied (Reger) DA632 (7-43055) HMV, Hayes 1924-06-16
31. Mignon (Thomas) Kennst du das Land 43984 11814u G&T, Wien 1907
32. Mignon (Thomas) Styrienne (83) (w. orch) X-23012 Zonophone, Wien 1902
33. Nocturne (Chopin) DB677 (2-043029) HMV, Hayes 1923-12-12
34. Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Ihr, die ihr Triebe 043110 0750v G&T, Wien 1907
35. Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Ihr, die ihr Triebe 72543, 0750v G&T, Wien 1907
36. Parla! Valzer (Arditi (1907-02-07) 53491 9886u G&T, Wien 1906-12
37. Perle du Bresil (David) Charmant oiseau (Fr) 53496 9889u G&T, Wien 1906-12
38. Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome53431 3981h G&T, Wien 1905-12-21
39. Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome 53479 4181L G&T, Wien 1906
40. Rigoletto (Verdi) Holdes Madchen (w. Kittel, Slezak & Demuth) 044069, 0741v G&T, Wien 1907
41. Rigoletto (Verdi) Sprich nie mit einem Armen (w. Schlusnus) B25030 1299?as Gramophone Wien 1923-0607
42. Sandmannchen (Brahms) DA753 (7-43084) HMV, Hayes 1925-10-16
43. Serenade (Gounod) 72852, 1297as Gramophone Wien 1923-0607
44. Serenade (Gounod) DB677 (2-043028) HMV, Hayes 1923-12-12
45. Serenata (Toselli) 72850 1288as Gramophone Wien 1923-0607
46. Sonnambula (Bellini) Ah non giunge 53494 9946u G&T, Wien 1906-12
47. Standchen (Brahms) 23009 Zonophone, Wien 1902
48. Standchen (R Strauss) DA632 (7-43056) HMV, Hayes 1924-06-25
49. Traviata (Verdi) Addio del passato53565 13069u Gramophone, Wien 1908
50. Traviata (Verdi) Ah, fors’e lui53535 13067u Gramophone, Wien 1908
51. Traviata (Verdi) Alfred, du weisst nicht (Finale, act 2) (w. Preuss, Stehmann & chorus) 2-44463 13259?u Gramophone, Wien 1908
52. Traviata (Verdi) E strano… Ah, fors’e lui 72955 1814as Gramophone Wien 1924
53. Traviata (Verdi) Trinklied (w. Preuss & chorus) 2-44462 13260u Gramophone, Wien 1908
54. Traviata (Verdi) Von der Freude Blumenkranzen 2-43315 1955ab Gramophone, Wien 1909-12-04
55. Trovatore (Verdi) D’amor sull’ali 72587 571m Gramophone, Wien 1911-09-27
56. Trovatore (Verdi) Es glanzte schon das Sternenheer 43794 4184L G&T, Wien 1906
57. Voci di primavera (Strauss) 2-053206 2069c Gramophone, Wien 1910-10-27
58. Zauberflote (Mozart) Bei Mannern (w. Demuth) 2-44495 13979u Gramophone, Wien 1908-10
59. Zauberflote (Mozart) Bei Mannern (w. Schlusnus) 85301 1298as Gramophone Wien 1923-0607
60. Zauberflote (Mozart) Zum Leiden bin ich auserkoren 43739, 3982h G&T, Wien 1905-12-21