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. Nina (Ciampi, attr Pergolesi) 50043 xB1235 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
2. Oberon (Weber) Gebet des Hüon 50347 xB2938 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
3. Ouvre tes yeux bleus (Massenet) 32109 219x G&T, Wien 1901-10
4. Rococo-Ständchen (Meyer-Helmund) 50516 xB3757 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
5. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Ach gehe auf 50531 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
6. Se tu m’ami (Pergolesi) 50036 xB1228 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
7. Traviata (Verdi) Ach, ihres Auges Zauberblick 42406 220x G&T, Wien 1901-10
8. Traviata (Verdi) Auf schlürftet in durstigen Zügen (w. Bosetti) 50648 xB4668 Odeon, Berlin 1909-09
9. Traviata (Verdi) O laß uns fliehen (w. Hempel) 80033 xxB3830 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
10. Traviata (Verdi) So hold, so reizend (w. Hempel) 80032 xxB3829 Odeon, Berlin 1908-07
11. Trockne Blumen (Schubert) 50040 xB1232 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05
12. Trovatore (Verdi) Die Mutter spricht mit dir (w. Metzger) 50346 xB2873 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
13. Trovatore (Verdi) Einsam steh’ ich 50434 xB2935 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
14. Ungeduld (Nr 7) 50659 xB4712 Odeon, Berlin 1909-10
15. Verschwiegene Liebe (Wolf) 42703 2346B G&T, Wien 1902-04
16. Werther (Massenet) Was bin ich aufgewacht 2-42007 2347B G&T, Wien 1902-04
17. Wiegenlied (Brahms) 50180 xB1817 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (late)
18. Zar und Zimmermann (Lortzing) Lebe wohl, mein flandrisch Mädchen (w. Dietrich & chorus) 50345 xB2860 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06
19. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Dies Bildnis 50140 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (Autumn)
20. Zlata Doba (Nedved) 51005 xB1196 Odeon, Berlin 1906-05