Description

MARIA OLSZEWSKA (OLCZEWSKA, ALSO MARIE BERCHTENBREITNER, LUDWIGSSCHWAIGE, AUGSBURG, BAVARIA, GERMANY, 12 AUGUST, 1892 – KLAGENFURT, GERMANY, 17 MAY, 1969)

 

 

 

 

After completing her vocal studies with Karl Erler in Munich, she began her career as an operetta singer. In 1915, she made her operatic debut at the City Theatre of Krefeld as the Page in Tannhäuser. Following an engagement at the Leipzig Opera, she joined the Hamburg Opera, where she remained from 1919 to 1922. There, on December 4, 1920, she appeared as Brigitte in the world premiere of Korngold’s Die tote Stadt.

In 1921, she was engaged by the Vienna State Opera; from 1923 to 1925, she sang at the Munich State Opera, returning in 1925 to Vienna, where she enjoyed brilliant success until 1930. She was also associated with the Städtische Oper Berlin. In 1925, she married the baritone Emil Schipper (1882–1957), though the marriage was later dissolved.

She achieved great success on guest appearances worldwide, singing at La Scala in Milan and the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, and undertaking highly acclaimed tours throughout South and Central America. In 1923 and 1928, she was heard as a guest at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. In 1930, she appeared in Die Fledermaus under Bruno Walter in both Paris and London.

From 1924 to 1932, she was a regular member of London’s Covent Garden Opera, where she made her debut as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde. She was particularly admired for her Wagner roles but also excelled as Carmen and Amneris. From 1928 to 1932, she was a member of the Chicago Opera.

In 1932, she accepted an engagement with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making her debut there in January 1933 again as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde. Until 1935, she appeared at the Met not only in her Wagnerian repertoire but also as Amneris in Aida, Azucena in Il trovatore, Klytämnestra in Strauss’s Elektra, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier.

From 1947 onward, she taught at the State Academy of Music in Vienna, and in 1948 she became a lecturer at the Vienna State Opera. Between 1951 and 1955, she returned to the stage at the Vienna Volksoper, where she appeared 145 times as Agricola in Johann Strauss’s operetta Eine Nacht in Venedig.

She also had a distinguished international career as a concert singer. On January 27, 1922, she performed a solo part in the world premiere of Hans Pfitzner’s cantata Von deutscher Seele in Berlin. Later, she lived in Salzburg and then in Baden near Vienna.

Her sister, known under the stage name Anni Andrassy (1898–1959), also had a successful career as a contralto.

Her voice was distinguished by its wide range, exceptional musical control, and powerful dramatic expressiveness. She was also regarded as an outstanding actress. Recordings of her voice were issued on Odeon, HMV (including a 1934 abridged version of Der Rosenkavalier), and Polydor.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Aida (Verdi) Schon sind die Priester all’ vereint 70656 831at Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Alceste (Gluck) Ihr Götter ew’ger Nacht 72777 681av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Aufenthalt (Schubert) EW61 Bb16884-1,1A HMV, London 1929-05-13

Carmen (Bizet) Ja, die Liebe hat bunte Flügel (Habanera) 72808 745av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Carmen (Bizet) Lasst seh’n, was für mich übrig bliebt (w. Knepel & Guszalewicz) EJ178 (2-044030) CwR1296-2 HMV, Berlin 1927-10-28

Carmen (Bizet) Liebst du mich, treu und innig (Si tu m’aimes) (w. Schipper) 72990 840az Grammophon, Berlin 1924/1925

Der Tod und das Mädchen (Schubert) EW61 ER308 Bb16883-1,1A HMV, London 1929-05-13

Die Mainacht (Brahms) EW69 (7-43124) Bb16890-4 HMV, London 1929-05-14

Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer (Brahms) 72815 (B24118) 738av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Kreuzzug (Schubert) 72814 (B24117) 683av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Lohengrin (Wagner) Erhebe dich, Genossin meiner Schmach (w. Schipper) 72989 (B25069) 841az Grammophon, Berlin 1924/1925

Lohengrin (Wagner) Ha! Dann begreif’ ich sein Verbot (w. Schipper) 72990 (B25071) 843az Grammophon, Berlin 1924/1925

Lohengrin (Wagner) Was macht dich in so wilder Klage doch vergehn (w. Schipper) 72989 (B25070) 842az Grammophon, Berlin 1924/1925

Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck) Che farò senza Euridice D1490 (2-053326) CR2013-1,1A HMV, London 1928-05-14

Prophète (Meyerbeer) Ach, mein Sohn 72812 754av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Rheingold (Wagner) Weiche, Wotan, weiche (Erdas Warnung) 043320 1466s Grammophon, Berlin 1919

Rinaldo (Händel) Armida, dispietata… Lascia ch’io pianga EJ273 (2-033132) CLR3962-2 HMV, Berlin 1928-03-15

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Die Sonne, sie lachte (Printemps qui commence) EJ238 (2-043085) CwR1291-1 HMV, Berlin 1927-10-27

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix EJ273 (2-033131) CLR3961-3 HMV, Berlin 1928-03-15

Sapphische Ode (Brahms) EW69 (7-43123) Bb16885-2,2A HMV, London 1929-05-13

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Gruber) 72823 (B24135) 806½av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Trovatore (Verdi) Die Hände in schweren Ketten (Condotta ell’era in ceppi) 72810 749av Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Trovatore (Verdi) Lodernde Flammen 70657 830at Grammophon, Berlin 1922

Xerxes (Händel) Ombra mai fù D1490 (2-053327) CR2014-1 HMV, London 1928-05-14