Description

MAX LORENZ (BORN MAX SÜLZENFUß; DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY, 10 MAY, 1901 – SALZBURG, AUSTRIA, 11 JANUARY, 1975)

He was initially employed by an industrial company in Düsseldorf, but then studied singing under Ernst Grenzebach in Berlin; he also trained in Bayreuth with Karl Kittel. In 1926 he turned down an offer to take on smaller roles there such as Froh in “Rheingold” or Walther von der Vogelweide in “Tannhäuser” as premature. An attempt to be engaged at the Berlin State Opera failed completely. After winning a singing competition, he made his debut at the Dresden State Opera in 1927 as Walther von der Vogelweide. He stayed in Dresden until 1931 and came to the Berlin State Opera for the first time in 1931, of which he became a regular member in 1933. Here he sang in 1940 in the world premiere of Paul von Klenau’s “The Queen”. In the 1929-1933, 1936-1944 seasons and again from 1953 he was a member of the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera. From 1938 to 1956 he made several guest appearances at La Scala in Milan, including in 1950 as Siegfried. At the Grand Opéra Paris in 1934 he sang the role of Walther von Stolzing in “Meistersinger”, in  1941 Tristan, in 1949 Otello, Siegmund and Siegfried in the Nibelungenring, in 1951 Herod in “Salome” and in 1953 Aegisth in “Elektra” by R. Strauss. He also made guest appearances at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (among others 1950 as Siegfried), at the Opera of Rome, in Amsterdam, in the Hague (1949 as Tristan with Kirsten Flagstad), at the State Operas of Munich and Hamburg. He was seen at the Bayreuth Festival in the 1933-1939 seasons, first as Walther von Stolzing and Parsifal, later as Siegfried and Tristan; In 1952 he appeared again as Siegfried, in 1954 as Siegmund. In 1934 and 1937 he was heard at the Covent Garden Opera in London; he sang at the Sopot Festival (1930) and at the Maggio musicale in Florence (1941, as Tristan). In the 1947-1950 he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. There he appeared in a total of 40 performances and eleven roles (in their New York house), apart from his Wagner roles also as Herod in “Salome” and as Babinsky in Weinberger’s “Schwanda der Dudelsackpfeifer”. At the Salzburg Festival he sang in the world premieres of the operas “Der Prozess” by G. von Eine (August 17, 1953), “Penelope” by Liebermann (August 17, 1954), and “Irische Legende” by W. Egk (August 17, 1955) ) and “Das Bergwerk zu Falun” by R. Wagner-Regény (August 16, 1961); In 1955 he sang the title role in “Palestrina” by Hans Pfitzner. In 1962 he sang Herod’s farewell role in “Salome” at the Vienna State Opera. He worked in the educational field in Vienna and Salzburg. He found his final resting place in a grave of honor in the Vienna Central Cemetery. Max Lorenz was married to the singer Charlotte Appel. Lit: W.Hermann: “Max Lorenz” (1976).

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) Holde Aida 4-042044 CLR 4258 I Electrola
2. Bajazzo (Leoncavallo) Lache, Bajazzo 40-042572 E.H. 294 Electrola
3. Carmen (Bizet) Hier an dem Herzen treu geborgen 4-042043 CLR 4257 I Electrola
4. Die Jüdin (Halevy) Recha, als Gott dich einst zur Tochter mir gegeben 4-042045 Electrola
5. Evangelimann (Kienzl) Selig sind die, die Verfolgung leiden, Geistliches Lied Electrola  4-042046
6. Lohengrin (Wagner) Atmest du nicht mit mir die süssen Düfte 4-042071 CLR 5082 I Electrola
7. Lohengrin (Wagner) Das süsse Lied verhallt I. Teil with Käte Heidersbach 4-044313 E.H. 406 Electrola
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Das süsse Lied verhallt II. Teil with Käte Heidersbach 4-044314 E.H. 406 Electrola
9. Lohengrin (Wagner) Lohengrins Abschied von Elsa  4-042072 CLR 5084 II Electrola
10. Macht des Schicksals (Verdi) Die Welt ist nur ein Traum der Hölle E.H. 294 Electrola
11. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Am stillen Herd 4-042074 CLR 5078 I Electrola
12. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Preislied 4-042075 CwR 984 II Electrola
13. Rienzi (Wagner) Allmächtiger Vater 62-701 EH 504 Electrola
14. Siegfried (Wagner) Nothung, Nothung  Bayreuther Festspiele SK B 02054 021335
15. Siegfried (Wagner) Schmiede, mein Hammer, das starke Schwert Bayreuther Festspiele  SK B 02054 021347
16. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Doch welch ein seltsam neues Leben D.B. 7624 Electrola
17. Tannhäuser (Wagner) O Fürstin!  Duett, 1. Teil with Maria Reining 2 RA 5340 1 Electrola
18. Tannhäuser (Wagner) O Fürstin!  Duett, 2. Teil with Maria Reining 2 RA 5341 1 Electrola
19. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Romerzählung, pt 1 4-042039 CLR 3948 II Electrola
20. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Romerzählung, pt 2  4-042040  CLR 3949 I Electrola