Description

MARCEL WITTRISCH (ANTWERP, BELGIUM, 1 OCTOBER, 1901 – STUTTGART, GERMANY, 3 JUNE, 1955)

He came from a German family that lived in Antwerp but had to leave Belgium in 1918, moving to Leipzig. He received his education at the conservatories in Munich and Leipzig, studying under teachers like Jacques Stückgold, and later completed his studies in Milan. He made his debut in 1925 at the Halle (Saale) Municipal Theater as Konrad in Marschner’s Hans Heiling. From 1926 to 1929, he sang at the Braunschweig State Theater.

In 1929, he was engaged by the Berlin State Opera, where he enjoyed a brilliant career until 1944. He was especially admired in lyric roles from French and Italian opera literature, but was particularly noted as a Mozart singer. In 1931, he performed in the German premiere of E. Wolf-Ferrari’s The Rogue Widow (La vedova scaltra) at the Berlin State Opera, followed by notable performances in Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot (1933), the title role in Hans Pfitzner’s Palestrina (1933), the memorable 1936 premiere of Moniuszko’s Halka, the 1940 premiere of Gotovac’s Ero the Rogue, and the 1937 premiere of Paul von Klenau’s Rembrandt van Rijn. In 1939, he also appeared in the premiere of R. Wagner-Régeny’s The Burghers of Calais.

He achieved great acclaim internationally, performing as Tamino in The Magic Flute and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus at Covent Garden Opera in 1931. He also made guest appearances at the Vienna and Munich State Operas, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Rio de Janeiro Opera, and La Scala in Milan. In 1937, he sang Lohengrin at the Bayreuth Festival. He was also a successful operetta and film singer, particularly excelling in operettas by Franz Lehár. In 1940, he performed at the Salzburg Festival in an operetta concert with Ester Réthy. He made guest appearances at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels (1934, 1935) and in Amsterdam (1936).

After World War II, he focused primarily on concert and operetta performances. In 1950 and 1954, he undertook tours of South Africa. In 1951, he sang Narraboth in Richard Strauss’s Salome at the Grand Opéra in Paris. From 1949 to 1955, he was a member of the Stuttgart State Opera, and he also made guest appearances at the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper (1950-1952). His expressive, radiant tenor voice was frequently compared to that of the great Richard Tauber.

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) Ahnend im Herzen (w. Teschemacher) 62-4718 2D919 HMV, Berlin 1932-05-12.mp3
2. Aida (Verdi) Leb’ wohl, o Erde (w. Teschemacher & Klose) 62-4719 2D920 HMV, Berlin 1932-05-12.mp3
3. Barbier von Bagdad (Cornelius) Vor deinem Fenster die Blumen 62-874 2D65 HMV, Berlin 1931-01-27.mp3
4. Bohème (Puccini) Wie eiskalt ist dies Händchen 62-4716 2D938 HMV, Berlin 1932-05-23.mp3
5. Carmen (Bizet) Hier an dem Herzen treu geborgen 62-4717 2D939 HMV, Berlin 1932-05-23.mp3
6. Carmen (Bizet) Hoch Escamillo…! Liebst du mich treu und innig (w. Klose, Grossmann, Gerson & Fischer) 62-4734 2D1359 HMV, Berlin 1932-12-20.mp3
7. Carmen (Bizet) Ich seh’ die Mutter dort (w. van Endert) 094-2048 CLR3858 HMV, Berlin 1928-02-10.mp3
8. Carmen (Bizet) Wie du liebst mich nicht mehr (w. Klose) 62-4737 2D1360 HMV, Berlin 1932-12-20.mp3
9. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Mutter, der Rote war allzu feurig (Abschied) 60-1641 0D324 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-16.mp3
10. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Es war einmal am Hofe von Eisenack 60-1818 0D659 HMV, Berlin 1931-11-12.mp3
11. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Ha, wie in meiner Seele 60-1819 0D660 HMV, Berlin 1931-11-12.mp3
12. Evangelimann (Kienzl) Selig sind, die Verfolgung leiden (w. Klose & chorus) 62-4722 2D1103 HMV, Berlin 1932-09-15.mp3
13. Fidelio (Beethoven) Mir ist so wunderbar (w. Berger, Gottlieb & Domgraf-Fassbaender) 62-4734 2D1336 HMV, Berlin 1932-12-13.mp3
14. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner) Mit Gewitter und Sturm 60-1956 0D340 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-21.mp3
15. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) O Gott wo eilt ihr hin (w. Teschemacher) 62-958 2D746 HMV, Berlin 1932-01-12.mp3
16. Martha (Flotow) Mag der Himmel euch vergeben (w. Berger, Klose, Carli, Beck & chorus) 62-4723 2D1104 HMV, Berlin 1932-09-15.mp3
17. Mignon (Thomas) Leb’ wohl, Mignon 60-1752 BLR6086 HMV, Berlin 1930-02-19.mp3
18. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Jetzt spielen 60-1640 0D323 HMV, Berlin 1931-04-16.mp3
19. Rigoletto (Verdi) Ach, wie so trügerisch 8-42178 BLR4772 HMV, Berlin 1928-11-22.mp3
20. Rigoletto (Verdi) Freundlich blick’ ich 8-42177 BLR4771 HMV, Berlin 1928-11-22.mp3
21. Rigoletto (Verdi) Holdes Mädchen hör’ mein Leiden (w. Berger, Klose & Domgraf-Fassbaender) 62-4728 2D1304 HMV, Berlin 1932-11-24.mp3
22. Traviata (Verdi) Trinklied (w. Teschemacher & chorus) 62-4732 2D1298 HMV, Berlin 1932-11-22.mp3
23. Traviata (Verdi) Wenn sie nicht bei mir… Ach, ihres Auges Zauberblick 60-2205 0D1362 HMV, Berlin 1932-12-20.mp3
24. Trovatore (Verdi) Gern will ich schlissen das Aug’… In uns’re Heimat 60-2204 0D1361 HMV, Berlin 1932-12-20.mp3
25. Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere (w. Teschemacher & chorus) 62-4733 2D1299 HMV, Berlin 1932-11-22.mp3
26. Undine (Lortzing) Vater, Mutter, Schwestern, Brüder 60-1753 0D531 HMV, Berlin 1931-09-08.mp3
27. Zar und Zimmermann (Lortzing) Lebe wohl, mein flandrisch Mädchen (w. Eisinger) 60-1957 0D529 HMV, Berlin 1931-09-08.mp3
28. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön 62-826 CNR725 HMV, Berlin 1929-09-18.mp3
29. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton 62-837 CD9198 HMV, Berlin 1930-10-28.mp3
30. Zigeunerbaron (Strauss) Als flotter Geist 8-42209 BLR5019 HMV, Berlin 1929-02-12.mp3