Description

FELIX SENIUS (TENOR) (KONIGSBERG, GERMANY, 19-09-1868 – KONIGSBERG, GERMANY, 01-10-1913)

In 1872, his father became the director of the Azov Commercial Bank in St. Petersburg, where the artist spent his youth. He entered his father’s bank but, by 1895, began giving charity concerts in St. Petersburg. After studying singing with Ippolit Pryanishnikov in St. Petersburg (around 1900), he gave his first recitals in the Russian capital and performed the tenor solo in Handel’s Messiah. He soon gained popularity through glittering concerts across major cities in Russia, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. He moved to Berlin, becoming one of the most prominent concert tenors of his time, and was considered a successor to Gustav Walter.

Between 1905 and 1911, he performed concerts in Vienna and, in 1906, appeared in Brno. In 1911, he sang in Prague. In England, he was especially admired for his performances in Debussy’s L’Enfant prodigue and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius. In 1910, he participated in the world premiere of Gustav Mahler’s 8th Symphony (Symphony of a Thousand) in Munich.

Tragically, he died after being poisoned by fish at a banquet hosted by the city of Königsberg. He was married to the soprano Clara Senius-Erler, who later became a lecturer at the Leipzig Conservatory and continued performing in concerts until at least 1918. His brother, Rudolf Senius (1865-1924), was an operetta singer and director.

TRACKLIST

1. Adelaide, pt 1 pt 2 (Beethoven) E9452 E9452 04666 04667 Anker, Berlin 1911
2. Così fan tutte (Mozart) Un’ aura amorosa E9601 04978 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
3. Don Giovanni (Mozart) Il mio tesoro E9437 04671 Anker, Berlin 1911
4. Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Una furtiva lagrima E9437 04670 Anker, Berlin 1911
5. Feldeinsamkeit (Brahms) E9502 04977 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
6. O komm im Traum (Liszt) E9575 04976 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
7. Paulus (Mendelssohn) Sei getreu bis in den Tod E9575 04981 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
8. Schöpfung (Haydn) Mit Würd’ und Hoheit angetan E9502 04979 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
9. So laß’ uns wandern (Brahms) (w. Senius-Erler) E9601 04975 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912
10. Wo du hingehst (Ries) (w. Senius-Erler) E9508 04974 10456 Anker, Berlin 1911/1912