Description

EMMY BETTENDORF (FRANKFURT, 16 JULY, 1895 – BERLIN, 20 OCTOBER, 1963)

 

 

 

 

She was born in Frankfurt and began studying singing at an early age. At just under 15 years old, she auditioned for the opera house in Frankfurt, where she was offered a two-year contract in 1914. She made her debut in the role of Gabriele in Kreutzer’s Nachtlager in Granada. In 1916, she secured an engagement with the opera house in Schwerin, which lasted for four years. During this period, she expanded her repertoire, tackling both lyric and lyric-dramatic roles. Some of her notable performances included Amelia, Leonore, the Countess, Myrtocle in d’Albert’s Die toten Augen, Agathe, Brünnhilde in Siegfried, Eva, the Marschallin, Santuzza, Elisabeth, and Donna Anna.

In 1920, a series of guest appearances at Berlin’s State Opera led to a permanent engagement there. However, in 1924, she moved to the Städtische Oper of Berlin, where she stayed for five years, performing in both operas and operettas. She also made appearances at the Waldoper in Zoppot, as well as in Holland, Madrid, and Barcelona.

Unfortunately, due to illness, she retired from the stage in 1928, though she became a prolific recording artist until 1936. After 1937, she only occasionally sang in concerts. With the death of her husband in 1938, she was forced to return to the concert stage during World War II, performing for soldiers in Poland, Russia, and Greece.

During the war, she lived in Garmisch (Austria), where she ran a guest house. After the war, at the recommendation of the famous bass Michael Bohnen, she began teaching at the Musikhochschule Berlin, a position she held until 1952.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Ave Maria (Schubert) Parlophon 2-21226
2. Wo du hingehst (Trauungsgesang) (Roessel) Parlophon 2-21228
3. Peer Gynt (Grieg): Solveigs Lied Parlophon 2-21242
4. Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land? Parlophon 2-21244
5. Xerxes (Händel): Zartes Blätterdach (Largo) Parlophon 2-21227
6. Ich liebe dich (Grieg) Parlophon 2-21243
7. Reklame (Granichstaedten): Sprich nicht von ewiger Liebe Parlophon 2-21637
8. Vogelhändler (Zeller) Schenkt man sich Rosen in Tirol (w. Groh) Odeon O-25103
9. Lohengrin (Wagner): Ortrud! Wo bist du? (w. Branzell) Parlophon 2-21103
10. Lohengrin (Wagner): Du Ärmste (w. Branzell) Parlophon 2-21104
11. Rosenlieder (Eulenburg): Monatsrose & Wilde Rose (w. Clemens) Parlophon 2-21656-2
12. Rosenlieder (Eulenburg): Rankende Rose & Seerose (w. Clemens) Parlophon 2-21657-2
13. Faust (Gounod): Es ist schon spät, lebt wohl! (w. Gläser) Parlophon 2-21719
14. Faust (Gounod): O Mondenschein der uns umhüllt (w. Gläser) Parlophon 2-21720
15. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Traft ihr das Schiff (w. chorus) Parlophon 2-20624
16. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Vor Anker alle siebn Jahr’ (w. chorus) Parlophon 2-20625
17. Mignon (Thomas): Kennst du das Land? Homokord 50941-I
18. Martha (Flotow): Letzte Rose Homokord 50942
19. Xerxes (Händel): Ombra mai fu Homokord 51294
20. Ave Maria (Schubert) Homokord 51295
21. Aida (Verdi): Wohl war euch das Los (w. Branzell) Parlophon 2-21105
22. Aida (Verdi): Bebe, offen liegt dein Herz (w. Branzell) Parlophon 2-21106
23. Abendempfindung (Mozart) Parlophon 2-20608
24. Tosca (Puccini): Vissi d’arte Parlophon 2-7713
25. Bohème (Puccini): Si mi chiamano Mimì Parlophon 2-7714