Description

MAX DAWISON (SCHWEDT, 17 FEBRUARY, 1869 -BERLIN, 22 APRIL, 1953)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Max Davidsohn. He received his first singing lessons at the Kullak Conservatory in Berlin under Adolf Zebrian. He then perfected his vocal technique at the Conservatory in Cologne, studying with Benno Stolzenberg. He completed his education in Paris with Mariano Padilla y Ramos and Désirée Artôt de Padilla.

He made his debut in 1889 at the Opernhaus in Düsseldorf as the Army Caller in Lohengrin. Later that year, he joined the Kroll Theater in Berlin. On 10 October 1890, he made his debut in Prague in the title role of Der fliegende Holländer. On 31 May 1900, he appeared there as Hans Sachs in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In February 1900, he caused a sensation in Copenhagen as the Wanderer in the Danish premiere of Wagner’s Siegfried.

In 1903, he was engaged for two roles at the Bayreuth Festival. There, Dawison also performed as Alberich in Der Ring des Nibelungen (1906–1909), Telramund in Lohengrin (1908), and Klingsor in Parsifal (1909).

From 1900 to 1926, he was active at the Stadttheater in Hamburg. Among other notable performances, he sang in the German premieres of Adriana Lecouvreur (1903, as Michonnet) and Le Jongleur de Notre-Dame by Massenet (1906).

From 1926, Dawison worked as a vocal pedagogue in Hamburg. In 1929, he became the head of the opera school at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory in Berlin.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1889 Düsseldorf Opernhaus

1889 Berlin Krollschen Theater

1890 Prague Opera

1900 Copenhagen Opera

1900-1926 Hamburg Stadttheater

1903 Bayreuth festival

1906-1909 Bayreuth festival

1908 Bayreuth festival

1909 Bayreuth festival

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Für dein Glück X50219 Bx1733 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (late)

Fliegende Holländer (Wagner) Wie aus der Ferne X50209 Bx1736 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (late)

Siegfried (Wagner) Auf wolkigen Höh’n wohnen die Götter X50371 xB2970 Odeon, Berlin 1907-06

Trovatore (Verdi) Ihres Auges himmlisch’ Strahlen X50216 Bx1732 Odeon, Berlin 1906 (late)