Description

HERMINE KITTEL (VIENNA, DECEMBER 2, 1879 – VIENNA, APRIL 7, 1948)

 

 

 

 

She initially began her career as an actress, making her debut in 1897 in Laibach (Ljubljana). In 1898, she was engaged by the Graz Theater, where her singing talent was discovered when she appeared in a Suppé operetta. After studying in Vienna with the famous Amalie Materna, she returned to Graz, where from 1899 to 1900 she performed roles such as Magdalena in W. Kienzl’s Evangelimann, Floßhilde in Das Rheingold, Adriano in Rienzi, and Orlowsky in Die Fledermaus.

She then sang Orlowsky in her debut at the Vienna Court Opera (since 1918 the Vienna State Opera), where she remained for the next thirty years. Early in her career, she received support from the great composer and conductor Gustav Mahler. She also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival in 1902 and 1908 as Erda and as the First Norn in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. In 1910, she sang the Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte at the Salzburg Mozart Festival.

On April 1, 1914, she took part in the world premiere of Franz Schmidt’s opera Notre Dame in Vienna, and on October 4, 1916, she appeared in a small role in the premiere of the revised version of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. At the Salzburg Festival, she sang Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro (1922 and 1925), the Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos (1926), and the Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte (1928). She also made guest appearances in Paris, Budapest, and Prague, all of which were highly successful.

In the concert hall, she was especially admired as the alto soloist in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, which she performed in Amsterdam in 1913, among other venues. She retired from the stage in 1931 and subsequently worked as a voice teacher in Vienna. In 1936, however, she made a notable return to the Vienna State Opera as Countess Palmatica in Millöcker’s Der Bettelstudent.

She was married to the baritone Alexander Haydter (1872–1919), who, like her, was a member of the Vienna State Opera. Her brother, Karl Kittel, was a well-known conductor and served as an assistant at the Bayreuth Festival from 1904 to 1939.

She possessed an exceptionally beautiful, dark, luminous alto voice and mastered an extensive stage and concert repertoire. Her artistry is preserved on numerous recordings, beginning with G&T discs made in Vienna in 1903, as well as on Odeon and HMV. One title was issued on Pathé, and her famous recording of the final duet from Carmen with Leo Slezak was released on Victor.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Aida (Verdi) Doch grausam zeigt sich der Waffen Los (w. Elizza) 944319 13007L Gramophone, Wien 1911-10-10

Carmen (Bizet) Draussen am Wall (Seguidilla) 43867 9943u G&T, Wien 1906-11/12

Carmen (Bizet) Ja, die Liebe (Habanera) 43876 9944u G&T, Wien 1906-11/12

Carmen (Bizet) Liebst du mich treu und innig (w. Weidemann) 2-44032 654r G&T, Wien 1905-11

Carmen (Bizet) O Carmen, nur ein Wort (w. Slezak) 044132 0986v Gramophone, Wien 1909-05

Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Barcarole (w. Elizza) 2-44087 4243L G&T, Wien 1906-06

Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Barcarole (w. Elizza) 944318 13006L Gramophone, Wien 1911-10-10

Die schöne Galathée (Suppé) Griechen-Couplet 43828 4247L G&T, Wien 1906-06

Don Giovanni (Mozart) Viva la libertà (Freiheitschor) (w. Forst, Preuss, Hesch, Stehmann & chorus) 2-44226 10828u G&T, Wien 1907-05/07

Fledermaus (Strauss) Brüderlein und Schwesterlein (w. Keplinger, Siegmann-Wolff, Preuss, Hofbauer, Böhm & chorus) 044054 154s G&T, 1905

Freischütz (Weber) Wie Was Entsetzen! (w. Förster-Lauterer & Slezak) 44241 854z G&T, Wien 1903-05/07

Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Rheintöchter-Terzett (w. Elizza & Hilgermann) 2-44414 13309u Gramophone, Wien 1908-05/06

Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Die Sonne strahlt ((w. Elizza, Forst, Slezak, Stehmann, Weidemann & chorus) 2-44241 10862u G&T, Wien 1907-05

Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck) Abends will ich schlafen geh’n (w. Elizza) 2-44049 653r G&T, Wien 1905-11

Lakmé (Delibes) Unter laub’gem Dach (w. Forst) 3-44004 14576u Gramophone, Wien 1909-05

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sextett (w. Kurz, Preuss, Stehmann, Demuth & Hesch) 044076 0742v G&T, Wien 1907-06/08

Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Trinklied (w. chorus) 43728 699r G&T, Wien 1905-11

Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Du reizend liebes Schätzchen (w. Forst, Hesch & chorus) 2-44269 10830u G&T, Wien 1907

Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Geschwind zu meiner Nachbarin (w. Elizza) 2-44167 9957u G&T, Wien 1906-11/12

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Blumenduett (w. Forst) 2-44410 13310u Gramophone, Wien 1908-05/06