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. Aida (Verdi) O wäre ich erkoren… Holde Aida (Celeste Aida) DB5580 2RA4586-1 HMV, Berlin 1940
2. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) O sag, wenn ich fahr’ (Di tu se fedele) DB4445 2RA1105-2 HMV, Berlin 1936 (earlySpring)
3. Barbier von Bagdad (Cornelius) O holdes Bild (w. I Roswaenge) DB4495 2RA1812-2 HMV, Berlin 1937-02
4. Bohème (Puccini) Ach, Geliebte, du kehrst mir niemals wieder (O Mimì, tu più) (w. Hüsch) DB4499 2RA2366-2 HMV, Berlin 1937-10-18
5. Carmen (Bizet) Hier an dem Herzen treu geborgen (La fleur) DB4524 2RA2851-2 HMV, Berlin 1938 (Spring)
6. Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Wohin seid ihr entschwunden DB5580 2RA4588-1 HMV, Berlin 1940
7. Faust (Gounod) Der Menschheit ganzer Jammer drückt mich nieder (w. Teschemacher) DB4507 2RA2750-2 HMV, Berlin 1938-03
8. Fidelio (Beethoven) Gott, welch Dunkel hier DB4522 2RA2849-1 HMV, Berlin 1938 (Spring)
9. Fidelio (Beethoven) In des Lebens Frühlingstagen DB4522 2RA2850-2 HMV, Berlin 1938 (Spring)
10. Forza del destino (Verdi) In heiligster Stunde (Solenne in quest’ora) (w. Hüsch) DB4499 2RA2364-1 HMV, Berlin 1937-10-18
11. Lohengrin (Wagner) In fernem Land DB5698 2RA5326-2 HMV, Berlin 1942
12. Lohengrin (Wagner) Mein lieber Schwan DB5698 2RA5327-1 HMV, Berlin 1942
13. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Nein, Bajazzo nicht mehr (No, pagliaccio non son) DB5569 2RA4460-1 HMV, Berlin 1940-01/02
14. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Schaut her, ich bin’s (Prologo) DB5569 2RA4459-2 HMV, Berlin 1940-01/02
15. Rigoletto (Verdi) Liebe ist Seligkeit (E il sol dell’anima) (w. Korjus) DB4445 2RA1104-1 HMV, Berlin 1936 (earlySpring)
16. Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Arie des Sängers DA4465 0RA3428-2 HMV, Berlin 1938-11
17. The Enchantress (Tchaikovsky) Ich liess in mein Innres dich schauen (w. Lemnitz) DB5624 2RA4872-2 HMV, Berlin 1941-02/03
18. The Enchantress (Tchaikovsky) Mein Los ist seltsam (w. Lemnitz) DB5624 2RA4871-1 HMV, Berlin 1941-02/03
19. Tosca (Puccini) Mit deinen Augen (Ah! Quegli occhi) (w. Perras) DB4475 2RA1976-2 HMV, Berlin 1937-04/05
20. Traviata (Verdi) Ach ihres Auges Zauberblick (De miei bollenti spiriti) DB4495 2RA1814-2 HMV, Berlin 1937-02
21. Traviata (Verdi) Ich sah euch lieblich und engelschön (Un dì felice) DB4458 2RA1220-2 HMV, Berlin 1936 (early Spring)
22. Traviata (Verdi) Komm lass uns fliehen (Parigi o cara) (w. Perras) DB4458 2RA1221-2 HMV, Berlin 1936 (early Spring)
23. Trovatore (Verdi) Dass nur für mich dein Herz erbebt (Ah, si ben mio) DB4524 2RA2852-2 HMV, Berlin 1938 (Spring)