Description

HELGE ROSVAENGE (COPENHAGEN, 29 AUGUST, 1897 – MUNICH, 17 JUNE, 1972)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Helge Anton Rosenvinge Hansen. Initially, he aspired to become a chemist and studied at the Technical College of Copenhagen. His vocal talent was discovered when he sang among friends in Schwerin. His future wife, Hungarian soprano Ilonka Holndonner, encouraged his vocal training and performed a concert with him in Schwerin. He received vocal instruction in Copenhagen and Berlin. After several concert appearances in Denmark, he made his stage debut in 1921 at the Landestheater in Neustrelitz as José in Carmen.

He appeared as a guest in London, Milan, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Brussels, Amsterdam, Munich, Hamburg, and Dresden, and he achieved notable success in Cairo in 1933 as Radames in Aida. From 1932, he performed almost annually at the Salzburg Festival and appeared at the Bayreuth Festival in 1934 and 1936 as Parsifal. He also performed in operettas, premiering Eduard Künnecke’s Die große Sünderin at the Berlin Staatsoper on December 31, 1935. In 1941, he made a guest appearance at the Paris Grand Opéra as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

In 1955, he returned to the Berlin Staatsoper, where he was made an honorary member. In 1963 and 1964, he performed with great success at Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden in New York. Later, he dedicated himself to teaching in Munich. His autobiography was published as Skratte Pajazzo (Copenhagen, 1945; in German as Lache Bajazzo, Berlin, 1963).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1921 Neustrelitz Landestheater

1922-1924 Altenburg and Thüringen Landestheater

1924-1926 Basel Stadttheater

1926-1929 Köln Opernhaus

1927 Wien Staatsoper

1929-1945 Berliner Staatsoper

1930 Wien Staatsoper

1932-1933 Salzburg Festival

1934 Bayreuth Festival

1936 Bayreuth Festival

1937 Salzburg Festival

1938 Salzburg Festival

1939 Salzburg Festival

1941 Paris Grand Opéra

1949 Salzburg Festival

1949 Wien Staatsoper

1949 Wien Staatsoper

1955 Berlin Staatsoper

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) Land so wunderbar (O Paradis) SK1407 018978 Telefunken, Berlin 1933-02-28
2. Aida (Verdi) O wäre ich erkoren … Holde Aida (Celeste Aida) SK1427 019181-I Telefunken, Berlin 1933-06-19
3. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Ich ging spazieren einst (Plus blanche) SK1272 018776 Telefunken, Berlin 1932-11-12
4. Manon (Massenet) Flieh, o flieh (Ah, fuyez douce image) SK1407 018979 Telefunken, Berlin 1933-02-28
5. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Selig wie die Sonne (w. Yoder, Kindermann, Reinmar & Kuttner) SK1162 018468-I Telefunken, Berlin 1932-06-11
6. Otello (Verdi) Jeder Knabe (Niun mi tema) SK1427 019180 Telefunken, Berlin 1933-06-19
7. Rigoletto (Verdi) Holdes Mädchen, sieh mein Leiden (w. Yoder, Kindermann & Reinmar) SK1162 018469-I Telefunken, Berlin 1932-06-11
8. Vêpres Siciliennes (Verdi) O Tag des Grames (Giorno di pianto) SK1272 018777 Telefunken, Berlin 1932-11-12