Description

TIANA LEMNITZ (METZ, 26 OCTOBER, 1897 – BERLIN, 5 FEBRUARY, 1994)

 

 

 

 

She was the daughter of a military bandmaster. From 1919 she studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main with Antoni Kohmann. She made her debut in 1921 at the Heilbronn Municipal Theatre as Undine in Lortzing’s opera of the same name. From 1922 to 1928 she was a member of the Aachen Municipal Theatre, and from 1928 to 1934 of the Hanover Opera House, where she appeared in 1931 in the world premiere of G. Vollerthun’s opera Der Freikorporal. In 1930 she sang the role of Agathe in Der Freischütz at the Zoppot Festival. From 1931 onward, she appeared frequently as a guest at the Dresden State Opera.

In 1934 she was appointed to the Berlin State Opera, where she soon became one of its leading singers. One of her first major successes there was as Elvira in Verdi’s Ernani. In Berlin she sang in the world premiere of P. Graener’s Der Prinz von Homburg in 1935 as partner to Max Lorenz, and in 1936 in the premiere of Moniuszko’s Halka, taking the title role. On 31 December 1935 she appeared in the world premiere of Eduard Künnecke’s operetta Die große Sünderin. In 1937 she took part in performances of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and was widely admired as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello. In 1940 she appeared in Smetana’s Dalibor and Tchaikovsky’s The Enchantress.

She enjoyed major successes as a guest at the Vienna and Munich State Operas, at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1936 and again in 1950), in Amsterdam (1935 as Elsa in Lohengrin), in Brussels and Warsaw, including in 1937 as Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust with Fyodor Chaliapin as Mephisto. At London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, she appeared in 1936 and 1938 as Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, as Elsa in Lohengrin, as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, and as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. She also sang Agathe in Der Freischütz at the Salzburg Festival in 1939.

In 1938 she received an offer from the Metropolitan Opera in New York but was unable to accept it due to the political situation. After the Second World War, she continued to appear at the Berlin State Opera, where she remained a member until 1957, performing such roles as Marie in Berg’s Wozzeck and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. In 1950 she sang the title role in the world premiere of Janáček’s Jenůfa at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Among her major stage roles were Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Eurydice in Gluck’s Orpheus in der Unterwelt, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Micaëla in Carmen, Arabella in Richard Strauss’s opera of the same name, and Aida. She also achieved great distinction as a concert singer, performing a wide-ranging repertoire. Highly esteemed especially as a Lieder interpreter, she gave her final recital in Berlin in 1957. She possessed one of the most beautiful soprano voices of her time; in addition to the refined and spiritual nature of her performances, critics praised the subtlety of her expressive artistry. Her ethereal pianissimo was compared to that of the celebrated Claire Dux.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Arabella (Strauss) Ich möchte meinen fremden Mann einmal noch DB5606 2RA4765-2 HMV, Berlin 1940-10-28

Arabella (Strauss) So wie sie sind… Und du willst mein Gebieter sein (w. Hüsch) DB5606 2RA4766-2 HMV, Berlin 1940-10-28

Der Freischütz Und ob die Wolke sie verhülle Recorded in 1935 Grammophon 15081 (477 GS)

Der Freischütz Wie nahte mir der Schlummer Recorded in 1939 HMV DB 5549 (2RA 43389-2)

Die Zauberflöte Ach, ich fühl’s Recorded in 1937 HMV DB 3477 (2RA 2452-2)

Le nozze di Figaro Dove sono Recorded in 1938 HMV DB 3462 (2RA 2698-1)

Le nozze di Figaro Porgi amor Recorded in 1938 HMV DB 3462 (2RA 2697-2)

Lohengrin Einsam in trüben Tagen Recorded in 1937 Grammophon 35081 (697 GS)

Lohengrin Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen Recorded in 1937 Grammophon 35081 (696 GS)

Otello (Verdi) Da brannt’ im dunkeln Antlitz (w. Ralf) DB4668 2RA3841-2 HMV, Berlin 1939-04

Otello (Verdi) Nun in der nächt’gen Stille (w. Ralf) DB4668 2RA3840-2 HMV, Berlin 1939-04

Othello Sei mir gegrüsst, Jungfrau Maria Recorded in 1938 HMV DB 4595 (2RA 3322-2)

Othello Sie sass voll Leide auf öder Heide Recorded in 1938 HMV DB 4595 (2RA 3321-2)

Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Hab’s mir gelobt (w. Ursuleac & Berger) 67075 594½GS8 Grammophon, Berlin 1936-01-26 (Presswerk 1936-01-31)

Rosenkavalier (Strauss) Ist ein Traum (w. Berger) 67075 606½GS8 Grammophon, Berlin 1936-04-19 (Presswerk 1936-04-23)

Tannhäuser Allmächt’ge Jungfrau Recorded in 1934 Grammophon 15079 (473 GS)

Tannhäuser Dich, teure Halle Recorded in 1934 Grammophon 15079 (472 GS)

Trovatore (Verdi) Ich sah ihn… Es glänzte hell das Sternenmeer (Tacea la notte) DB7656 2RA5538-2 HMV, Berlin 1942-04

Trovatore (Verdi) In deines Kerkers tiefe Nacht (D’amor sull’ali rosee) DB7656 2RA5539-1 HMV, Berlin 1942-04