Description

OTTO FANGER (BRAUNSCHWEIG, 27 FEBRUARY, 1879 – FRANKFURT A.M., 1 APRIL 1933)

 

 

 

 

He studied at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin with Nikolaus Rothmühl and later with Alberto Selva. He began his stage career at the Stadttheater in Lübeck (1907–1909), followed by engagements at the Stadttheater in Krefeld (1909–1912) and the Theatre of Königsberg in East Prussia (1912–1914).

In 1914 he was engaged by the Frankfurt Opera, where he remained as the leading Heldentenor until his death. He made guest appearances at the Deutsches Theater in Prague (1908), the Court Theatre in Karlsruhe (1915), the Court Theatre in Stuttgart (1916), the Leipzig Opera (1917 and 1918), the Theatre in Zurich (1917, as Tristan), the Dresden State Opera (1919), and the Stadttheater in Basel (1921). Although he was called up for military service during the First World War, he was still able to continue performing in Frankfurt.

He was particularly admired as a Wagnerian interpreter, with major roles including Parsifal, Rienzi, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Siegmund and Siegfried in Der Ring des Nibelungen, and Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In 1930 he celebrated his 100th performance as Tristan in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at the Frankfurt Opera.

He also excelled in roles such as Florestan in Fidelio, Pedro in d’Albert’s Tiefland, Mathias in Kienzl’s Der Evangelimann, Herod in Richard Strauss’s Salome, and the Emperor in Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten.

On 1 July 1920 he took part in the Frankfurt world premiere of Die ersten Menschen by Rudi Stephan, who had died during the First World War, creating the role of Chabel. In 1931 he sang the role of the Drum Major in the Frankfurt premiere of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck.

His great popularity in Frankfurt was demonstrated after his sudden death, when thousands of admirers accompanied his funeral procession from the Opera House to the Frankfurt Main Cemetery.

He also made acoustic recordings for Anker.

 

 

OTTO LÄHNEMANN

 

 

 

He began his stage career in 1907 at the Court Theatre in Kassel. In 1909 he joined the Stadttheater in Halle (Saale), and in 1912 he was engaged by the Court Theatre in Brunswick, where he remained until the First World War.

He was particularly known as an interpreter of Wagnerian roles, including Erik in Der fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, Siegmund in Die Walküre, Siegfried in Der Ring des Nibelungen, and Parsifal. His repertoire also included Max in Weber’s Der Freischütz, Hüon in Oberon, and Don José in Bizet’s Carmen.

He made guest appearances at the Stadttheater in Hamburg (1908), the Court Theatre in Hanover (1908, 1910), the Court Theatres in Dessau (1909), Karlsruhe (1910), and Weimar (1910, 1912), the Leipzig Opera (1911), and the Stadttheater in Basel (1914).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1907 Kassel Hoftheater

1908 Hamburg Stadttheater

1908 Hannover Hoftheater

1909 Halle/Saale Stadttheater

1909 Dessau Hoftheatern

1910 Hannover Hoftheater

1911 Leipzig Opernhaus

1912 Braunschweig Hoftheater

1914 Basel Stadttheater

 

SIEGMUND GRÜNFELD

 

 

 

In the 1930s, many years after his recording career, Grünfeld appeared on German-language radio in Czechoslovakia, where he was presented as an “opera and concert singer.” His broadcasts consisted mainly of Lieder, along with some operetta numbers and operatic arias. Notably, in a 1936 radio concert he performed Lieder by Adolf Wallnöfer.

 

 

 

HAROLD VON OPPENHEIM (COLOGNE, 9 NOVEMBER, 1892 – BERLIN, 29 NOVEMBER, 1961)

 

 

 

 

Harold Freiherr von Oppenheim was born into the renowned Oppenheim banking family, owners of the Sal. Oppenheim private bank from 1789 to 2009. His father, Simon Alfred von Oppenheim, was a director of the bank. Although he studied finance and law and earned a doctorate, he chose not to pursue a career in banking or law. Instead, he devoted himself to his artistic interests, studying singing and acting (including with Max Reinhardt) and becoming a professional tenor.

His operatic career remains insufficiently documented, but he is known to have appeared at the Berlin Staatsoper and on stages in France and Italy. His recordings were made with the orchestra of the Berlin Staatsoper.

As a member of a prominent Jewish-origin family (the Oppenheims had converted to Christianity in the 19th century), he nevertheless faced increasing persecution under the Nazi regime. In 1939, while in France, he emigrated to the United States, taking the last ship from Le Havre before the outbreak of World War II. In New York he adopted the name Harry Hartwell and opened the nightclub “Chez Harry.” He returned to Germany in 1951.

Beyond his musical career, von Oppenheim was known as a passionate automobile enthusiast. In 1938 he commissioned a unique luxury automobile based on a Bentley chassis, with a custom body designed by the Berlin coachbuilder Erdmann & Rossi. He took the car with him to the United States in 1939; it survives today as one of the notable collector automobiles of the pre-war era.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Otto Fanger Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Lache Bajazzo E.9877-II Anker

Otto Fanger Walkure (Wagner) Winterstürme E9877-I Anker

Otto Lähnemann Lohengrin (Wagner) Atmest du nicht 4-42164 5163r Gramophone, Stuttgart 1908

Siegmund Grünfeld Gute Nacht, du mein herziges Kind (Abt) 1234 Artiphon

Siegmund Grünfeld Walküre (Wagner) Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond 1136 Artiphon

Harold von Oppenheim Der Troubadour (Verdi) Schon naht die Todesstunde (w. Ristow) MD 9194 MD 9194 Schallplatten-Volksverband

Harold von Oppenheim Freischütz (Weber) Durch die Wälder, durch die Auen Part 1 M 9197 9197 Schallplatten-Volksverband

Harold von Oppenheim Freischütz (Weber) Durch die Wälder, durch die Auen Part 2 M 9198 9198 Schallplatten-Volksverband

Harold von Oppenheim Ständchen (Leise flehen meine Lieder) (Schubert) M 9628 M 9628 Schallplatten-Volksverband

Harold von Oppenheim Widmung (Du meine Seele, du mein Herz) (Schumann) 9627 M 9627 Schallplatten-Volksverband