Description

HERMANN BACHMANN (COTTBUS, GERMANY, 7 OCTOBER, 1864 – BERLIN, GERMANY, 5 JULY, 1937)

He first became a businessman but later studied singing with Gustav Schmidt in Berlin and made his debut at the Stadttheater in Halle/Saale in 1890, where he stayed until 1894. In the 1894-1897 seasons, he sang at the Stadttheater in Nuremberg. From 1897 to 1918, he was a member of the ensemble at the Hofoper in Berlin, where he also worked as a director starting in 1910. At this house, he participated in the (unsuccessful) premiere of R. Leoncavallo’s opera Der Roland von Berlin on December 13, 1904. Earlier, on May 4, 1895, he appeared in W. Kienzl’s Der Evangelimann, and on November 18, 1898, in Don Quixote, another work by Kienzl. On April 18, 1899, he performed in Mudarra by Fernand Le Borne, and on April 14, 1905, he participated in the premiere of Die Heirat wider Willen by E. Humperdinck.

He performed as a guest at the court theaters of Munich, Dresden, and Wiesbaden, as well as at other major German opera houses. His repertoire included roles such as the Flying Dutchman, Kühleborn in Lortzing’s Undine, Colonna in Rienzi, Gunther in Götterdämmerung, Lothario in Mignon by A. Thomas, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, and Falstaff in Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor by Nicolai. In 1892, he sang the role of Kothner in Die Meistersinger at the Bayreuth Festival, and in 1894, he appeared as the Herald in Lohengrin. In 1896, he performed as Wotan in the Ring cycle and as Gunther in Götterdämmerung.

He continued as a director at the Berlin State Opera until 1929 and occasionally appeared in smaller roles there until 1920. After retiring from the stage, he taught singing in Berlin.

TRACKLIST

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) Dir, o Königin 4-42148 7414L Gramophone, Berlin 1908
2. Carmen (Bizet) Duett und Szene (w. Destinn, Dietrich & Parbs) 2-44473 13924u Gramophone, Berlin 1908-10-20
3. Carmen (Bizet) Finale, act 3, pt 2 (w. Destinn, Nast, Dietrich, Parbs, Jörn, J. Lieban & Krasa) 044103 0839v Gramophone, Berlin 1908-10-17
4. Carmen (Bizet) Lied des Toreador (w. Destinn, Parbs, Dietrich & Dahn) 042180 0830v Gramophone, Berlin 1908-10-17
5. Carmen (Bizet) Recitativ und Duett (w. Nast & Jörn) 2-44471 6651h Gramophone, Berlin 1908-11-16
6. Carmen (Bizet) Torerolied 3-42935 10347u  G&T, Berlin 1907
7. Carmen (Bizet) Finale, act 3, pt 1 (w. Destinn, Jörn, J. Lieban & Krasa) 2-44472 13915u Gramophone, Berlin 1908-10-17
8. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner) Wie aus der Ferne 4-42366 7413L Gramophone, Berlin 1908
9. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Blühendes Lebens (w. Kraus) 044110 94ac Gramophone, Berlin 1909-04-02
10. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Vergäss’ ich alles (w. Kraus) 044109 93ac Gramophone, Berlin 1909-04-02
11. Lohengrin (Wagner) Des Königs Wort 3-42934 3490r G&T, Berlin 1907-10
12. Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Wie freu’ ich mich (w. Knüpfer) 044058, 0726v G&T, Berlin 1907
13. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Grüss’ Gott, mein Junker! (w. Kraus) 044086 342m Gramophone, Berlin 1908
14. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Mein Freund, in holder Jugendzeit (w. Kraus) 044087 343m Gramophone, Berlin 1908
15. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Verachtet mir die Meister nicht 042136, 0718v G&T, Berlin 1907
16. Rheingold (Wagner) Abendlich strahlt 4-42021 6798L Gramophone, Berlin 1908
17. Rheingold (Wagner) Vollendet das ewige Werk 4-42020 6797L Gramophone, Berlin 1908
18. Verschwender (Kreutzer) O seht doch (w. chorus) 3-42799 10476u G&T, Berlin 1907
19. Zar und Zimmermann (Lortzing) Sonst spielt’ ich mit Szepter 4-42147 7410L Gramophone, Berlin 1908