Description

HERMANN WEIL (MÜHLBURG, 1876 – NEW YORK, 6 JULY, 1949)

 

 

 

 

He initially aspired to become an elementary school teacher but later studied music theory, musicology, and conducting at the Karlsruhe Conservatory under Felix Mottl. He received his vocal training from Adolf Dippel in Frankfurt am Main. In 1901, he made his debut at the Municipal Theatre of Freiburg, performing the role of Wolfram in Wagner’s Tannhäuser. From Freiburg, he joined the Stuttgart Court Opera in 1904, where he performed with great success until 1933. In Stuttgart, he sang in notable premieres, including Walter Braunfels’ opera Prinzessin Brambilla (March 25, 1909), as well as in the premieres of Richard Strauss’s operas Salome (1905 as Jochanaan) and Elektra (as Orest), and Hans Pfitzner’s Der arme Heinrich.

In 1909, he made guest appearances in Amsterdam, performing as Sebastiano in Eugen d’Albert’s Tiefland and as Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde (1911). During the 1912-1914 seasons, he sang at the Boston Opera House and also appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York starting in 1911. In 1913, he performed in the Metropolitan Opera’s premiere of Faninal in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier. However, when the United States entered World War I, he was interned in America from 1917 to 1919 as a German national. After his release, he sang in a German opera troupe at the Lexington Theatre in New York in 1919.

He was a celebrated interpreter of Wagner’s operas at the Bayreuth Festival, performing in Parsifal, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Götterdämmerung during the 1911-1912 seasons, and as Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger from 1924 to 1925. He was active at the Vienna State Opera from 1920 to 1923 and toured the USA with the German Opera Company from 1923 to 1924. In 1939, he was forced to leave Germany and settled in New York, where he worked as a voice teacher. His stage repertoire included more than 100 roles, with particular distinction in Wagnerian roles such as Hans Sachs and Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1901 Freiburg Municipal Theatre Tannhäuser (Wolfram)

1904-1933 Stuttgart Court Opera

1909 Amsterdam Opera House

1911 Amsterdam Opera House

1912-1914 Boston Opera House

1911 New York Metropolitan Opera

1919 New York Lexington Theatre

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africaine (Meyerbeer) Dir, o Königin 4-42166 5177r Gramophone, Stuttgart 1908
2. Aus der Jugendzeit (Radecke) 3078 Vox, Berlin 1922
3. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Ja, du warst’s 4-42185 5180r Gramophone, Stuttgart 1908
4. Bohème (Puccini) Ach, Geliebte (w. Vogelstrom) 99663 xB5157 Odeon, Berlin 1910
5. Carmen (Bizet) Euren Toast 99552 xB4947 Odeon, Berlin 1910
6. Così fan tutte (Mozart) Fraget sanft (w. Müller) 2-44487 5187r Gramophone, Stuttgart 1908
7. Das Steierland (Seydler) E3172 44011 Columbia, New York 1916/1917
8. Faust (Gounod) Da ich nun verlassen soll 99553 xB4952 Odeon, Berlin 1910
9. Faust (Gounod) Valentins Gebet 3080 191B Vox, Berlin 1922
10. Faust (Gounod) Valentins Gebet 042326 3al Gramophone, Stuttgart 1911-09-23
11. Im Walde (Walbach) E3403 44753 Columbia, New York 1916/1917
12. Im Walde (Wallbach) 3079 Vox, Berlin 1922
13. Matrosenlied (Ramrath) E3403 44754 Columbia, New York 19161917
14. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Wie duftet doch der Flieder 042325 2al Gramophone, Stuttgart 1911-09-23
15. Nachtlager in Granada (Kreutzer) Ein schütz’ bin ich 03081 Vox, Berlin 1922
16. Nelg’, holde Knospe (Weil) 3078 Vox, Berlin 1922
17. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prolog 042359 4al Gramophone, Stuttgart 1911-09-23
18. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prolog 76071, xxB4948 Odeon, Berlin 1910
19. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Warum denn hieltest du mich (w. Bosetti) 99659 xB5152 Odeon, Berlin 1910
20. Rigoletto (Verdi) Hab’ ich erst vollbracht (w. Bosetti) 76127 xxB5154 Odeon, Berlin 1910