Description

WILHELM RODE (HANOVER, 17 FEBRUARY, 1887 – MUNICH, 2 SEPTEMBER, 1959)

 

 

 

 

He first worked as an insurance clerk and later studied singing with Rudolf Moest in Hanover. He made his debut in 1909 at the Erfurt City Theatre as the Herald in “Lohengrin.” He sang at the Bremerhaven City Theatre from 1912 to 1914, at the Breslau Opera House from 1914 to 1921, at the Stuttgart Opera House from 1921 to 1922, at the Munich State Opera from 1922 to 1930, and at the Vienna State Opera from 1930 to 1932.

From 1932 to 1945, he was engaged at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (German Opera House Berlin), where he had already been a frequent guest since 1924; from 1935 onward, he also served as its General Director. At the Deutsche Oper Berlin, he sang in the world premieres of Kurt Weill’s “Die Bürgschaft” (March 10, 1932) and Franz Schreker’s “Der Schmied von Gent” (October 29, 1932). During his engagement in Breslau, he had already taken part in the world premiere of “Eros and Psyche” by the Polish composer Lubomír Różycki in 1917.

He was a regular guest at the Vienna State Opera and made further guest appearances at the Paris Opera, in Dresden, Amsterdam (1941), Budapest, Prague, Bucharest, Madrid, and Barcelona. In 1928, he sang Wotan at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London. From 1929 to 1932, he appeared at the Salzburg Festival, where he sang Pizarro in “Fidelio” and the Count in “The Marriage of Figaro” from 1930 to 1931.

Although Siegfried Wagner regarded him as the finest Wagnerian baritone of his time, he could not engage him for Bayreuth because the festival’s rules excluded singers who participated in the Munich Opera Festival.

In 1945, he retired to Ammerland, and in 1949 moved to Icking near Munich. From there, however, he continued to appear as a guest artist at the Regensburg City Theatre from 1949 to 1951, performing some of his major roles (Wotan, Hans Sachs, Amfortas, Sebastiano in “Tiefland”) and giving aria and song recitals until 1956.

A powerful heroic baritone, he was acclaimed for performances of compelling intensity, particularly in the Wagnerian repertoire.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Africaine (Meyerbeer) Hei, Adamastor! F534 30498-II Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-06-19

Aida (Verdi) Wehe, mein Vater (Ciel, mio padre)… Wohlauf denn (Su, dunque!) (w. Hadrabová) F535, F535, 30495, 30496 Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-06-19

Carmen (Bizet) Euren Toast F534 30427 Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-02-13

Der Feuerreitter (Wolf) 80192 xxB6976 Odeon, Berlin 1924-04-02

Der Tambour (Wolf) 80767 xxB7060 Odeon, Berlin 1924-10-14

Des Glockentürmers Töchterlein (Loewe) 25321 5296½BD Polydor, Berlin 1933

Fliegende Holländer (Wagner) Die Frist ist um F526 30424 Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-02-13

Heinrich der Vogler (Loewe) 25321 5297½BD Polydor, Berlin 1933

Lohengrin (Wagner) Dank, König, dir 80194 xxB6975 Odeon, Berlin 1924-04-02

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Ein Kind ward hier geboren 80195 xxB6977 Odeon, Berlin 1924-04-02

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Fliedermonolog, pt 1 62649 (B2234) 529bh Polydor, Berlin 1928

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Fliedermonolog, pt 2 62649 (B2235) 530bh Polydor, Berlin 1928

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Jerum! Jerum! 80190 xxB6955 Odeon, Berlin 1924-02-19

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Wahnmonolog, pt 1 66781 (B22418) 451bi Polydor, Berlin 1928

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Wahnmonolog, pt 2 66781 (B22419) 452bi Polydor, Berlin 1928

Otello (Verdi) Ich glaube an einem grausamen Gott (Credo) F525 30426 Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-02-13

Tosca (Puccini) O meine Teure… Drei Häscher mit einem Wagen (Tre sbirri) (w. Hadrabová) F527, F527, 30493, 30494-I Ultraphon, Berlin 1930-06-19

Walküre (Wagner) Der Augen leuchtendes Paar 66871 (B22455) 733bi Polydor, Berlin 1929

Walküre (Wagner) Leb’ wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind 66871 (B22454) 732½bi Polydor, Berlin 1929

Walküre (Wagner) Loge, hör’! 66872 (B22456) 734bi Polydor, Berlin 1929