Description

MARIA JERITZA (BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC, 6 OCTOBER, 1887 – ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES, 10 JULY, 1982)

 

 

 

 

Her real name was Marie Jedličková. She studied in Brno and Prague, made her début at Olmütz in 1910 (a Elsa), then joined the Vienna Volskoper, and in 1912 appeared at the Hofoper. She quickly became an immense favorite in Vienna, where she sang regularly for over two decades. She was an especially admired Tosca, Minnie and Turandot. Among her many Strauss roles she was the first Ariadne in both versions of Ariadne auf Naxos (Stuttgart in 1912 and Vienna in 1919), and the first Empress in Die Frau ohne Schatten (Vienna, 1919). Having sung Marietta in the first Vienna performance of Korngold’s Di tote Stadt in 1921, she repeated this role for her Metropolitan début later that year. Of greater musical significance was her Jenufa in both the first Viennese (1918) and first New York (1924) performances of Janacek’s masterpiece. During the next 12 years she became recognized as the Metropolitan’s most glamorous and beautiful star since the days of Geraldine Farrar, and appropriately introduced to New York both Puccini’s Turandot and Strauss’s Die ägyptische Helena. Her Covent Garden performances were confined to seven roles during 1925 and 1926, whereas at the Metropolitan she sang 290 performances in 20 roles. After World War II she made isolated appearances in Vienna and New York. Though endowed with an ample and lustrous voice, Jeritza belonged to the category of artist known as a ‘singing actress’, freely yielding both dramatically and vocally to impulses that were sometimes more flamboyant than refined. In her numerous records, faults of taste and technique co-exist with genuine vocal achievement.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

Elsa von Brabant 12/27/1921, Floria Tosca 2/28/1922, Marietta / Die Erscheinung Maries 3/28/1922, Octavian 12/5/1922, Thaïs 2/20/1923, 11/13/1923, La principessa Fedora Romazov 12/18/1923, 11/25/1924, Jenufa 12/16/1924, Floria Tosca 11/24/1925, Thaïs 12/29/1925, Maliella 1/19/1926, Floria Tosca 11/2/1926, La principessa Turandot 11/30/1926, Elsa von Brabant 2/1/1927, Violanta 11/15/1927, Santuzza 12/20/1927, Carmen 1/24/1928, Helena 11/13/1928, Elisabeth 1/8/1929, Minnie Falconer 11/19/1929, La principessa Turandot 12/10/1929, Floria Tosca 2/4/1930, Minnie Falconer 11/4/1930, Senta 12/2/1930, Giovanni Boccaccio 1/6/1931, Floria Tosca 1/20/1931, 11/17/1931, Senta 12/15/1931, René Dufaure 1/5/1932 (Filadelfia)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Der Freischütz (Weber): Alles pflegt schon längst der Ruh’ XX 76366 xxB 5768 Odeon, 1912-11-01
2. Aida (Verdi): Als Sieger Kehre heim XX76369 Odeon, 1912
3. Aida (Verdi): Bald Kommt Radames XX76370 Odeon, 1912
4. Heimchen am Herd (Goldmark): Ein Geheimnis wundersüß wohnt in meiner Brust XX 76512 xxB 6141 Odeon, 1914-01-01
5. Boheme (Puccini): Will ich des Abends O-8175 Rxx76537, Odeon
6. Tosca (Puccini): Vissi d’arte O-8175 Rxx76538, Odeon
7. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Voi lo sapete XX 76540 xxB 6145, Odeon 1914-01-01
8. Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Eines Tages seh’n wir ein Streifchen Rauch im Osten XX 76539 xxB 6144, Odeon 1914-01-01
9. Ariadne auf Naxos, op. 60 (Strauss): Es gibt ein Reich XX 76944 xxB 5770, Odeon 1912-11-01
10. Ariadne auf Naxos, op. 60 (Strauss): In den schönen Feierkleidern XX 76945 xxB 5771 1912-11-01
11. Trovatore (Verdi): Befreit, o welche Seligkeit (w. Melms) 38656 Pathé, Wien 1908?
12. Heimchen am Herd (Goldmark): Ach, das ist herrlich Rxx 76513 xxB 6141 Odeon, 1914-01-01
13. Lohengrin (Wagner): Einsam in trüben Tagen XX 76363 xxB 5759, Odeon 1912-09-01
14. Lohengrin (Wagner): Euch Lüften Rxx 76364 xxB 5769, Odeon 1912-09-01
15. Der Freischütz (Weber): Wie nahte mir der Schlummer 76365 xxB 5767, Odeon 1912-11-01
16. Tannhäuser (Wagner): O heil’ge Jungfrau (Gebet) XX76371, Odeon
17. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich, teure Halle XX76372, Odeon
18. Lohengrin (Wagner): Euch Lüften 38650 Pathé, Wien 1908?
19. Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Du, du, geliebter (w. Spivak) 38683 Pathé, Wien 1908?
20. Freischütz (Weber): Und ob die Wolke sie verhüllt 38652 Pathé, Wien 1908?