Description

GERTRUD AGNES THERESE BINDERNAGEL (MAGDEBURG-BUCKAU, 11 JANUARY, 1894 – BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG, 3 NOVEMBER, 1932)

 

 

 

 

She first studied at the Magdeburg Conservatory and, at the age of 17, became a trainee at the Magdeburg Municipal Theater. From 1913 to 1917, she pursued further training at the Berlin Music Academy. Between 1917 and 1919, she worked at the Breslau Opera House, followed by an engagement at the Regensburg Municipal Theater in 1919–1920. In 1920, she was engaged by the Berlin State Opera, where she remained until 1927.

She enjoyed great success as a dramatic soprano, particularly as a Wagner singer, and made guest appearances in Barcelona, Madrid, Antwerp, Munich, Hamburg, and Mannheim. From 1927 onward, she appeared frequently at the Berlin Municipal Opera. In 1930, she was a guest at the Vienna State Opera. She also sang at the Sopot Festival in 1926–1927 and again in 1931–1932.

From 1927 to 1931, she was engaged at the Nationaltheater Mannheim, where she took part, among other things, in the premiere of a new version of the opera Princess Girnara by Egon Wellesz in 1928. She then returned to the Städtische Oper Berlin, where she had been a member since 1931. Her interpretation of the role of Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s Macbeth was especially admired in 1931.

Her other major roles included Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, Elisabeth and Venus in Tannhäuser, Ortrud in Lohengrin, Leonore in Fidelio, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Martha in Tiefland by Eugen d’Albert, the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss, Myrtocle in Die toten Augen by d’Albert, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Aida, Amelia in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, Tosca, Fata Morgana in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, and Els in The Treasure Hunt by Franz Schreker.

Family conflicts culminated in a gun attack by her husband, the banker Wilhelm Hintze, as she was leaving the Berlin Municipal Opera after a performance of Wagner’s Siegfried, in which she had sung Brünnhilde. She died a few days later from her injuries.

Her sister, Alice Bindernagel, had a successful career as an actress.

A large dramatic soprano voice with a rich range, she excelled especially in the Wagner repertoire. She made acoustic recordings on Vox, Polydor, and Parlophon, as well as electric recordings on Telefunken. She also recorded duets with Alexander Kirchner for Anker. A 1923 recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Aida (Verdi) Als Sieger kehre heim!… O Vater, Geliebter, heiligen Namen P1314, P1314, 2-5681, 2-5682 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-01-10

Aida (Verdi) Bald kommt Radames… Azurne Bläue, heimatliche Lüfte P1315, P1315, 2-5683, 2-5684, Parlophon, Berlin 1922-01-10

Faust (Gounod) Es ist schon spät (w. Kirchner) 3951 Anker

Hans Heiling (Marschner) Weh’ mir… Einst war so tiefer Friede mir 02115, 02115, 1099A, 1100A Vox, Berlin 1923

Oberon (Weber) Ozean, du Ungeheuer… Die Winde lispeln leis’ E1144, E1144, 18429, 18430, Telefunken, Berlin 1932-06-02

Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Mild und leise SK1163 18458 Telefunken, Berlin 1932-06-08