Description

CHARLOTTE “LOTTE” PAULINE SOPHIE LEHMANN (PERLEBERG, FEBRUARY 27, 1888 – SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 26, 1976)

 

 

 

 

She studied singing with Erna Thiele, Helene Jordan, and especially with the renowned Wagnerian soprano Mathilde Mallinger in Berlin. She made her debut in 1909 at the Hamburg City Theatre as the Second Boy in The Magic Flute and continued her studies there with Alma Schadow. Her first major success in Hamburg was as Elsa in Lohengrin.

In 1914, she joined the Vienna Court Opera (from 1918 the Vienna State Opera), where she found her true artistic home. Although not Viennese by birth, she soon became, for an entire generation, “the most Viennese of all singers.” On October 4, 1916, she created the role of the Composer in the world premiere of the second version of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. In 1919, she created the role of the Dyer’s Wife in the world premiere of Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten. In 1920, she sang the title role in the Viennese premiere of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, moving the composer—who was present—to tears. In 1927, she sang Heliane in the Viennese premiere of Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane. On November 9, 1924, she appeared as Christine in the world premiere of Strauss’s autobiographical opera Intermezzo in Dresden. In 1933, she sang the title role in the world premiere of Strauss’s Arabella.

In 1922, she toured South America and participated in the first complete performances of Wagner’s Ring cycle at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Beginning in 1924, she appeared regularly at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in roles including the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Elsa, Eva, Sieglinde, Ariadne, Donna Elvira, Desdemona, Elisabeth, and—most memorably—the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. In 1927, she sang Leonore in Fidelio at the Paris Opera during the centenary of Beethoven’s death; in 1930, she appeared there as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She was also a celebrated guest in Berlin, Dresden, and Stockholm.

Some of her greatest triumphs occurred at the Salzburg Festival. In 1926, she sang Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos; in 1927, she opened the new Festspielhaus as Leonore in Fidelio, a role she sang there from 1927 to 1932 and again from 1934 to 1935. From 1929 to 1937, she was acclaimed for her incomparable Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. She also appeared frequently in Salzburg concerts and recitals.

She made her North American debut in 1930 as Sieglinde with the Chicago Opera. In 1934, she was invited to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she again debuted as Sieglinde (with Lauritz Melchior as Siegmund). She remained one of the company’s leading artists until 1945, singing 54 performances in six roles, including Elisabeth, Elsa, Eva, Sieglinde, and Tosca. After the annexation of Austria in 1938, Lotte Lehmann—married to the Jewish physician Dr. Otto Krause—terminated her Vienna State Opera contract and settled permanently in the United States. Her farewell performance at the Met in 1945 was as the Marschallin.

She retired from the stage in 1945 and gave her final concerts in 1951. In 1955, she returned to Vienna for the reopening of the rebuilt State Opera, where she was received with immense affection. She later lived in Santa Barbara, California, where she became a highly respected voice teacher. She also taught masterclasses in London in 1957 and 1959. Among her numerous pupils were Rose Bampton, Grace Bumbry, Nan Merriman, Kay Griffel, Carol Neblett, Leonora Corona, and Marilyn Horne. She also worked as a director, staging Der Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1962–63 season.

She published several autobiographical and pedagogical works—Anfang und Aufstieg (1937), More than Singing (1945), and My Many Lives (1948)—as well as a novel, Orplid, mein Land. She was laid to rest in an honorary grave at the Vienna Central Cemetery.

Lotte Lehmann possessed one of the most beautiful voices of her generation—distinguished by radiant timbre, natural warmth, expressive sincerity, and exceptional musical and textual sensitivity. Alongside her great operatic career, she was equally admired as a concert and, especially, lieder singer.

Literature:
B. W. Wessling: Lotte Lehmann, More Than a Singer (Salzburg, 1969)
A. Jefferson: Lotte Lehmann, 1888–1976
Beaumont Glass: Lotte Lehmann: A Life in Opera and Song (Santa Barbara, 1988)

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Andrea Chenier (Giordano) Von Blut gerötet 16. 2. 1927 Odeon R 20025 (XXB 7613)

Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss) Sie atmet leicht 4. 9. 1928 Odeon 0-8731 (XXB 8169-2 & 8168)

Bohème (Puccini) Man nennt mich jetzt Mimi 16. 4. 1929 Odeon 0-8747 (XXB 8322-2)

Das Wunder der Heliane (Korngold) Ich ging zu ihm 13. 3. 1928 Odeon 0-8722 (XXB 79978-2)

Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Die Zeit, sie ist ein sonderbar Ding 13. 12. 1927 Odeon 0-8726 (XXB 7887)

Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) Ach, ich fühl’s 23. 4. 1932 Odeon 0-4832 (Be 9905)

Faust (Gounod) Es war ein König in Thule 18. 6. 1930 Odeon 0-8747 (XXB 8494)

Fidelio (Beethoven) Komm, Hoffnung 13. 12. 1927 Odeon 0-8721 (XXB 78856)

Figaros Hochzeit (Mozart) Heil’ge Quelle reiner Triebe 13. 3. 1928 Odeon 0-8726 (XXB 7888-2)

Jocelyn (Godard) Am stillen Zufluchtsort 18. 2. 1927 Odeon 0-8709 (XXB 7618)

Lohengrin (Wagner) Einsam in trüben Tagen 21. 3. 1930 Odeon 0-4819 (Be 8885)

Lohengrin (Wagner) Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen 21. 3. 1930 Odeon 0-4819 (Be 8884)

Oberon (Weber) Ozean, du Ungeheuer! 16. 2. 1927 Odeon 0-8742 (XXB 76112)

Tannhäuser (Wagner) Allmächt’ge Jungfrau 21. 3. 1930 Odeon 0-4813 (Be 8883)

Tannhäuser (Wagner) Dich, teure Halle 21. 3. 1930 Odeon 0-4813 (Be 8882)

Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Mild und leise 18. 6. 1930 Odeon 0-8745 (XXB 84978)

Turandot (Puccini) Die ersten Tränen 16. 2. 1927 Odeon 0-8720 (XXB 7610)

Walküre (Wagner) Du bist der Lenz 18. 6. 1930 Odeon 0-8745 (XXB 8497)