Description

LEOPOLD DEMUTH (BRNO, 2 NOVEMBER, 1861 – CZERNOWITZ, 4 MARCH, 1910)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Leopold Pokorny. His voice was discovered during his military service, after which he studied singing with Joseph Gänsbacher in Vienna. He made his debut in 1889 at the Municipal Theatre of Halle (Saale) in Marschner’s Hans Heiling. From 1891 to 1896, he sang at the Opera House in Leipzig, and from 1896 to 1898, he performed at the Municipal Theatre in Hamburg. In 1898, he was engaged by the Vienna Court Opera, where his career reached its peak. On January 2, 1908, he sang in the premiere of Goldmark’s opera Ein Wintermärchen there, and later that same year, he starred in the Vienna premiere of d’Albert’s Tiefland. In 1904, he gave a memorable performance in Gluck’s Iphigenie in Aulis at the Vienna Court Opera.

He made guest appearances at various German and Austrian opera houses, singing at the Wagner Festivals in Munich (1903 and 1905), the Berlin Court Opera (1897), and in cities like Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Leipzig, Wroclaw, and the German Theatre in Prague (1907). In 1899, he appeared at the Bayreuth Festival, performing the roles of Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Gunther in Götterdämmerung. He was married to actress Eugenie Lenau, who was temporarily engaged at the German Theatre in Berlin. He was considered one of the finest baritones of his time.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1889 Halle (Saale) Municipal Theatre Hans Heiling (-)

1891-1896 Leipzig Opera House

1897 Berlin Court Opera

1896-1898 Vienna Court Opera

1899 Bayreuth Festival Meistersingers (Hans Sachs)

1903 Munich Wagner-Festspielen

1905 Munich Wagner-Festspielen

1907 Prague German Theatre

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Freudig der Rache Wonne 3-42594 4254L G&T, Wien 1906
2. Rigoletto (Verdi) Monolog 42906 1093x G&T, 1902 (Spring)
3. Trovatore (Verdi) Ihres Auges himmlisch Strahlen 3-42374 6836b G&T, Wien 1905 (Spring)
4. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Erhebe dich 042117 475c G&T, Wien 1905 (Spring)
5. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Für dein Glück 3-42395 6734b G&T, Wien 1905 (Spring)
6. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Ja, du warst’s 3-42557 4255L G&T, Wien 1906
7. Ernani (Verdi) Ha, grosser Kaiser (w. chorus) 3-42499 701r G&T, Wien 1905-09
8. Ernani (Verdi) Ha, grosser Kaiser (w. Elizza, Preuss & chorus) 3-44065 15215u Gramophone, Wien 1909-09-29
9. Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Ah, Mathilde (w. Slezak) 2-44342, 11806u G&T, Wien 1907-10
10. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prolog 3-42526 803r G&T, Wien 1905-09
11. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prolog 042049 54½Hp G&T, Wien 1903-05
12. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Was gibt’s (w. Forst) 044155 01216v Gramophone, Wien 1909-10-07
13. Rigoletto (Verdi) Gestern spät abends (w. Forst) 044154 0993v Gramophone, Wien 1909-05
14. Rigoletto (Verdi) Ja, ich weine 3-42300, 6835b G&T, Wien 1905 (Spring)
15. Rigoletto (Verdi) Monolog 3-42807 10836u G&T, Wien 1907
16. Rigoletto (Verdi) Quartett (w. Kurz, Kittel & Slezak) 044069 0741v G&T, Wien 1907
17. Traviata (Verdi) Hat dein heimatliches Land 2-42907 1967CO (L) G&T, Berlin 1904
18. Traviata (Verdi) Hat dein heimatliches Land 3-42543 4257L G&T, Wien 1906
19. Trovatore (Verdi) Sieh’ meiner heller Tränen (w. Bland) 2-44239, 10837u G&T, Wien 1907