Description

WILLY TREFFNER (VRACOV/MORAVIA, NOW IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, THEN IN THE AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE, JULY 5TH, 1903 – JANUARY 25TH, 1980)

 

 

 

 

He enrolled as a student at the Vienna University of Technology but simultaneously studied singing. Following a successful guest appearance as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana at the Municipal Theatre of Plauen, he was immediately engaged by the company in 1928. He subsequently sang at the theatres of Dortmund and Bremen and attracted considerable attention at the Nuremberg Opera House, where he was a member of the company during the 1933–34 season.

During the 1934–35 season, he appeared at the Hanover Opera House and subsequently joined the Frankfurt Opera. In 1937, he accepted an invitation to join the Dresden State Opera, where he enjoyed great success for many years. From 1939 to 1943, he was associated with the Vienna Volksoper under a guest contract. He also made guest appearances at the State Operas of Berlin (1940 and 1942), Munich (1940), and Vienna (1940).

He was particularly distinguished as an interpreter of the lyric roles in his repertoire, including Belmonte in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, the Duke in Rigoletto, Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Alfredo in La traviata, the title role in Gounod’s Faust, and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus.

From 1940 onward, he was again associated with the Vienna Volksoper under a guest contract. He continued to make guest appearances in Berlin, Leipzig, and Hamburg while also pursuing a successful concert career. After retiring from the stage, he lived in Villach, Austria, although he continued to appear in Dresden on special occasions during the 1960s.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Mutter, der Rot EH 1289 (2RA 4363-1) Electrola, 1939

Cosi fan tutte (Mozart) Der Odem der Liebe unpublished (2RA 5816-1) Electrola, 1943

Der Barbier von Bagdad (Cornelius) O holdes Bild (w. Teschemacher) unpublished (2RA 5985-1) Electrola, 1943

Der Graf von Luxemburg (Lehár) Lieber Freund (w. Düren) unpublished (ORA 5992-1) Electrola, 1943

Der Graf von Luxemburg (Lehár) Nur Geduld (w. Düren) unpublished (ORA 5993-2) Electrola, 1943

Der Liebestrank (Donizetti) Heimlich in ihrem Auge EH 1289 (2RA 4362-1) Electrola, 1939

Die Favoritin (Donizetti) Engel so rein unpublished (2RA 5815-2) Electrola, 1943

Die Jahreszeiten (Haydn) Dem Druck erlieget die Natur unpublished (2RA 5817-2) Electrola, 1943

Dir nur gehört mein Herz (Bixio–Marischka) EG 6613 (ORA 3469-1) Electrola, 1939

Eine Nacht mit Rosita (Igelhoff) Die erste große Liebe (w. Teschemacher) unpublished (ORA 5987-2) Electrola, 1943

Giuditta (Lehár) Schön wie die blaue Sommernacht (w. Teschemacher) unpublished (ORA 5986-2) Electrola, 1943

Heimkehr nach Mittenwald (Schmidseder) An deinem Herzen ist meine Heimat EG 7204 (ORA 5208-3) Electrola, 1941

Heimkehr nach Mittenwald (Schmidseder) Liebe kleine Geige EG 7204 (ORA 5209-2) Electrola, 1941

La Gioconda (Ponchielli) Himmel und Meer DB 5597 (2RA 4700-1) Electrola, 1940

Manina (Dostal) Ich such’ in jeder Frau Manina EG 7289 (ORA 5819-1) Electrola, 1943

Manina (Dostal) Kurz ist der Mai EG 7289 (ORA 5820-1) Electrola, 1943

Martha (Flotow) Ach, so fromm DB 5597 (2RA 4701-2) Electrola, 1940

Martha (Flotow) Blickt seine Auge doch so ehrlich (w. Teschemacher) unpublished (2RA 5984-1) Electrola, 1943

Messa da Requiem (Verdi) Ingemisco unpublished (2RA 5818-1) Electrola, 1943

Otello (Verdi) O komm, mein liebes Beilchen (w. Tessmer & Herrmann) DB 7700 (2RA 6002-3) Electrola, 1943

So verliebt wie heut’ war ich noch nie „Nanon“ (Melichar) EG 6613 (ORA 3468-1) Electrola, 1939