Description

ARTHUR PREUSS (KÖNIGSBERG, 23 FEBRUAR, 1878 – WIEN, 20 AUGUST, 1944)

 

 

 

 

He studied singing in Berlin with Benno Stolzenberg and Franz Krolop. He was appointed to the Vienna Court Opera by Gustav Mahler, where he made his debut in 1899, specializing in buffo roles. He became unusually popular with the Viennese opera audience. In 1906, he sang at the Salzburg Mozart Festival, and on January 2, 1908, he participated in the world premiere of Goldmark’s Ein Wintermärchen at the Vienna Court Opera. On April 14, 1910, he appeared in Julius Bittner’s Der Musikant, and on January 6, 1912, he performed in the world premiere of Die verschenkte Frau by Eugen d’Albert. He remained with the Vienna Court Opera until 1915, during which time he also guested at the Cologne Opera.

In 1915, he moved to the Volksoper in Vienna, where he was celebrated in 1916 for his role as Schubert in the premiere of the operetta Dreimäderlhaus by Heinrich Berté. His opera roles included David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Jacquino in Fidelio, Wenzel in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhäuser, Benjamin in La Poupée de Nuremberg by A. Adam, and Dickson in La Dame blanche by Boieldieu. He continued to perform at the Vienna Volksoper until 1930, and also appeared on Austrian radio and in concerts.

In addition to his stage career, he worked as a composer, writing film music, songs, and other vocal works, and as a pedagogue in Vienna. Tragically, his life ended during a Gestapo interrogation in Vienna, which was related to his son, who was an underground resistance fighter. A few weeks later, his house in Vienna was destroyed in a bombing raid, and his wife was killed.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Hörst du es tönen (w. Elizza) 2-44096 4199L G&T, 1906
2. Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Nicolai) Kannst du zweifeln (w. Elizza) 44466 2450h G&T, 1904-10
3. Tannhäuser (Wagner) O kehr’ zurück (w. Slezak, Stehmann & Mayr) 2-44428 13224u Gramophone, 1908
4. Alessandro Stradella (Flotow) Horch, Liebchen, horch (Hymne) 3-42538 4178L G&T, 1906
5. Carmen (Bizet) Quintett (w. Elizza, Forst, Kittel & Stehmann) 2-44121 4286L G&T, 1906
6. Don Giovanni (Mozart) Viva la libertà (Freiheitschor) (w. Forst, Kittel, Hesch, Stehmann & chorus) 2-44226 10828u
7. Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) Frisch zum Kampfe 3-4259 4264L G&T, 1906
8. Ernani (Verdi) Ha, grosser Kaiser (w. Elizza, Demuth & chorus) 3-44065, 15215u Gramophone, 1909-09-29
9. Fille du Régiment (Donizetti) Abschiedslied (Salut à la France) (w Forst, Hesch & chorus) 2-44268 10829u G&T, 1907
10. Fledermaus (Strauss) Brüderlein und Schwesterlein (w. Keplinger, Siegmann-Wolff, Kittel, Hofbauer, Böhm & chorus) 044054 154s G&T, 1905
11. Freischütz (Weber) O lass’ Hoffnung dich beleben (w. Stehmann, Mayr & chorus) 3-44012 14659u
12. Hans Heiling (Marschner) Duett (w. Elizza & chorus) 44334 3490g G&T, 1904-10
13. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Will meinem guten Recht vertrauen (w. Slezak, Stehmann & Mayr) 2-44427 13223u Gramophone, 1908
14. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sextett (w. Elizza, Lukschic, Schmedes, Weidemann, Mayr & chorus) 44432 2444h G&T, 1904-10
15. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Wollt ihr mich nun lieben (w. Forst) 2-44409 13051u Gramophone, 1908
16. Martha (Flotow) Mag der Himmel (w. Forst, Kittel, Hesch & chorus) 2-44225 10827u G&T, 1907
17. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Selig wie die Sonne (w. Forst, Kittel, Slezak & Demuth) 044144 01198v Gramophone, 1909-09-17
18. Mignon (Thomas) Arie des Wilhelm, act 1 3-42392 6727b G&T, 1905
19. Undine (Lortzing) Vater, Mutter (Lied des Veit) 3-42530 4179L G&T, 1906
20. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Schnelle, Füsse, raschen Mut (w. Forst, Weidemann & chorus) 044133 0995v Gramophone, 1909-05