Description

FRANZ NAVAL (LAIBACH, SLOVENIA, 20 OCTOBER, 1865 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 9 AUGUST, 1939)

His real name was Franz Pogacnik. He studied singing in Laibach with A. Nedred and then in Vienna under J. Gansbacher. He made his debut in 1888 at the Opera House of Frankfurt am Main in Martha. During the 1895–1898 seasons, he sang at the Berlin Hofoper and in 1898 at the Vienna Hofoper. At the Berlin Hofoper, he frequently performed with Geraldine Farrar. In 1897, he sang the role of Rodolfo in the Berlin premiere of Puccini’s La Bohème. From 1900 to 1903, Naval sang in Paris. He joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1903. In 1907, he made a guest appearance at Covent Garden in The Bartered Bride. From 1903 to 1908, Naval was a permanent member of the Berlin Hofoper and in 1908 joined the Berlin Komische Oper. During this period, he was often the partner of Geraldine Farrar. Naval sang for 20 years in opera, but with diminishing success. He retired in Vienna, where he taught singing for 30 years. He appeared in major tenor roles in Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, La Dame Blanche, L’Elisir d’Amore, Faust, La Traviata, and Roméo et Juliette.

Chronology of some appearances

1888 Frankfurt am Main Opera House

1895-1898 Berlin Hofoper

1898 Vienna Hofoper

1903 New York Metropolitan Opera

1903-1908 Berlin Hofoper

1907 London Covent Garden

1908 Berlin Komische Oper

TRACKLIST

1. Dome meiner Seele (Schillings) 42105 1367B In Berliner, Wien 1901-10
2. Dragons de Villars (Maillart) Ich bin hübsch (w. Bosetti) 50641 xB4666 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
3. Dragons de Villars (Maillart) Nun wohl, Sylvain (w. Bosetti) 50642 xB4667 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
4. Euryanthe (Weber) Unter blühenden Mandelbäumen 50039 xB1231 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
5. Javor in Lipa (Savin) 51004 xB1193 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
6. Lakmé (Delibes) Diese Bilder 50527 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
7. Leise flehen meine Lieder (Schubert) 51041 xB3770 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Atmest du nicht 50167 xB1625 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (Autumn)
9. Lohengrin (Wagner) O Elsa! Nur ein Jahr 2-42000 2354B G&T, Wien 1902-04
10. Lustige Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Horch die Lerche singt 50405 xB2936 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
11. Mädchen mit dem roten Mündchen (Gall) 50044 xB1236 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
12. Manon (Massenet) Flieh, o flieh 50430 xB2815 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
13. Martha (Flotow) Ach so fromm 50344 xB2842 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
14. Martha (Flotow) Ha, sie ist’s (w. Bosetti) 80038 xxB4599 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
15. Martha (Flotow) Letzte Rose (w. Bosetti) 50647 xB4598 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
16. Martha (Flotow) Mag der Himmel euch vergeben (w. Dietrich & chorus) 50417 xB2861 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
17. Martha (Flotow) Nancy, Julia, verwelle (w. Bosetti) 50646 xB4597 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
18. Mignon (Thomas) Nicht ahnte je ihr Herz 50141 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (Autumn)
19. Mignon (Thomas) Romanze (Elle ne croyait pas) 3-42388 3905½h G&T, Berlin 1905-11
20. Morgengruß (Nr 8) 50660 XB4713 Odeon, Berlin 1909-10