Description

ALINE SANDEN, BORN EMILIE ALWINE KELCH (BERLIN, NOVEMBER 26, 1876 – BERLIN, MAY 8, 1955)

She first appeared on operetta and cabaret stages in Berlin before undertaking vocal studies with Frau Albrecht-Fraude and Valeska von Facius, also in Berlin. She made her debut as a coloratura soprano in Berlin in 1899. From 1903 to 1906, she was engaged at the Municipal Theatre in Plauen (Saxony), from 1906 to 1908 at the Cologne Opera House, and from 1908 to 1909 at the Vienna Volksoper. In 1909, the renowned conductor Arthur Nikisch appointed her to the Leipzig Opera, where she remained until 1921. There, she sang the title role in the first Leipzig performance of Richard Strauss’s Elektra, appeared as Agnes in Hans Pfitzner’s Der arme Heinrich (1909), and portrayed Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. She took part in the world premiere of Paul Graener’s Don Juans letzte Abenteuer (1914), and in 1919 in Eugen d’Albert’s Die toten Augen (Revolutionshochzeit).

From 1923 to 1924, she sang at the Berlin Volksoper and from 1924 to 1930 at the Munich State Opera. Guest appearances and concert performances brought her significant success in Berlin and Vienna, as well as in London (including in 1913 as Octavian in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier), Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and in North America. One of her most acclaimed roles was Grete Graumann in Franz Schreker’s Der ferne Klang. She also achieved notable success as Tosca, as Martha in d’Albert’s Tiefland, as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, as Salome in Strauss’s opera, as Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust, as Carmen, as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer, and as Kundry in Parsifal. In Munich, she participated in the 1924 world premiere of Walter Braunfels’s opera Don Gil von den grünen Hosen.

Her first marriage was to the baritone Walter Soomer (1878–1955), and in 1927 she entered a second marriage with the composer Charles Flick-Steger (born 1899). After retiring from the stage in 1930, she lived in Berlin and worked as a voice teacher. In addition to the passionate intensity of her performances, her outstanding acting talent was especially admired. She made recordings issued on Edison cylinders, as well as on the Odeon, Homochord, and Polydor labels.

TRACKLIST

Carmen (Bizet) Habanera 19026 290av Grammophon

Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni) Romanze der Santuzza B 8179 50923 Homocord

Madame Butterfly (Puccini) Eines Tages 19023 B 64017 Grammophon

Mignon (Thomas) Kennst du das Land 19026 298½av Grammophon

Tosca (Puccini) Gebet B 8179 50924 Homocord

Troubadour (Verdi) Terzett with Juan Spiwak and Juan Luria 1069 Homokord, Berlin 1907/1908

Trovatore (Verdi) Di geloso amor with Juan Spiwak and Juan Luria 99017 xB 3924 Odeon

Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere with Juan Spiwak 1176 Homokord, Berlin 1907/1908