Description

LAURA HILGERMANN (BORN LAURA OBERLÄNDER, MARRIED LAURA ROSENBERG OR LAURA HILGERMANN-RADÓ; VIENNA, (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY), 13 OCTOBER, 1869 – BUDAPEST, HUNGARIAN EMPIRE, 9 FEBRUARY, 1945)

Her father was a civil school teacher in Vienna. Her real name was Laura Oberländer (from 1887, she was known as Hilgermann). Her voice was discovered by an operetta singer, and she was trained by Karl Maria Wolf and Siegfried Rosenberg (whom she later married) in Vienna. In 1885, she debuted at the German Theater in Prague as Azucena in Il Trovatore. She remained at this opera house until 1889, leaving after a disagreement with director Angelo Neumann. From 1890 to 1900, she sang at the National Opera in Budapest.

In 1900, she was engaged by Gustav Mahler to perform at the Vienna Court Opera, where she stayed until 1920 (with an interruption during the 1902-1903 season). After 1920, she continued to guest perform in Vienna. The artist, whose repertoire also included soprano roles, enjoyed immense popularity in Vienna. In 1920, she was made an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera. That same year, she performed in a memorable revival of Così fan tutte under Mahler’s direction in Vienna.

Her repertoire included roles such as Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Mignon, Carmen, Amneris in Aida, Cherubino and the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Idamante in Idomeneo, and Orpheus in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, as well as roles in contemporary operas of the time. After a later marriage, she also performed under the name Laura Hilgermann-Radó.

Following her retirement, she became a highly sought-after voice teacher in Budapest and was a professor at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music from 1920 to 1936. Among her notable students were Maria Nemeth, Gitta Alpar, Enid Szantho, and Maria von Ilosvay. She tragically died during the siege of Budapest by the Russian army in her destroyed home.

TRACKLIST

1. Faust (Gounod): Blümlein traut Polyphon 3666
2. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich teure Halle Polyphon 3665
3. Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land Polyphon 3663
4. Wehe so willst du mich wieder, hemmende Fessel, umfangen Polyphon 3670
5. Der Asra (Rubinstein) G&T 43226 896x
6. Im Herbst (Franz) G&T 43299 898½x
7. Du bist wie eine Blume (Amadei) G&T 43238 929x
8. Figaros hochzeit (Mozart): Arie der Gräfin Lyrophon 7047
9. Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land Lyrophon 7046
10. Walküre (Wagner): Erzählung Sieglinde’s Favorite 2-26001
11. Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land Pathé 19116
12. Lithauisches Lied (Chopin) Pathé 19117
13. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Nein, nein, Turiddu (w. Reinhardt) Zonophone X-24439
14. Rheingold (Wagner): Rheintöchterterzett (w. Elizza & Kittel) G&T 2-44413 12973u
15. Götterdämmerung (Wagner): Rheintöchterterzett (w. Elizza & Kittel) G&T 2-44414 13309u
16. Träume (Wagner) G&T X23308 13221u
17. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Dich teure Halle G&T X23309 13222u
18. Walküre (Wagner): Liebeslied der Sieglinde Pathé 19118
19. Träume (Wagner) Favorite 1-26029
20. Lohengrin (Wagner): In ferner Favorite 1-26030
21. Rienzi (Wagner): Aria Odeon 25742
22. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner): Einsam wachend in der Nacht Odeon 38114
23. Wesendonck-Lieder (Wagner): Träume Odeon 38115
24. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach): Barcarole (w. Körner) Pathé 19113