Description

FELICIE HÜNI-MIHACSEK (PÉCS, 3 APRIL, 1891 –MUNICH, 26 MARCH, 1976)

 

 

 

 

She studied at the Vienna Music Academy under Rosa Papier-Paumgartner. She began her career in the 1916–17 season at the Hamburg Stadttheater. In 1919, she made her debut at the Vienna State Opera, where she also took part in the premiere of Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten (October 10, 1919). She remained with the company until 1925, after which she was appointed to the Munich State Opera, where she was prima donna for the next twenty years.

In Munich, she appeared in several important premieres, including Hans Pfitzner’s Das Herz (November 12, 1931) and Robert Heger’s Der Bettler Namenlos (1932). On March 2, 1937, she sang in the Dresden premiere of Othmar Schoeck’s Massimilla Doni.

She enjoyed particular success at the Salzburg Festival: in 1922 she appeared as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Donna Elvira, and the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro. In 1939, she returned as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and in 1949 she sang the soprano solo in Haydn’s Die Schöpfung. Originally a coloratura soprano, she later expanded her repertoire to lyric and even dramatic soprano roles in Munich.

She frequently returned as a guest to the Vienna State Opera, rejoining the ensemble from 1942 to 1945. She also performed abroad: in 1924 she toured Holland with the Vienna Opera ensemble, in 1927 she appeared at the Zurich City Theatre, in 1928 at the Kroll Opera in Berlin in Hindemith’s Cardillac, in 1935 as a concert soloist in London and Budapest, in 1939 at the Frankfurt Opera as the Marschallin, and in 1941 at the Deutsches Theater in Prague.

She married the Swiss industrialist Alfred Hüni. After retiring from the stage in 1945, she appeared only occasionally in concerts and devoted herself to teaching. In 1953, however, she made a celebrated return to the Munich Opera as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.

Her voice was exceptionally well trained, combining flawless technique with richness and brilliance of tone, as well as great subtlety of expression. She recorded almost exclusively for Polydor, and also made several recordings of sacred vocal music for the Austrian label Christschall.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

Forza del destino (Verdi) Frieden, Ruhe 66612 138be Grammophon, 1927

Forza del destino (Verdi) Noch hegt mich 66612 137be Grammophon, 1927

Freischütz (Weber) Undobdie Wolke 65637 840as Grammophon, 1920

Frühlingslied (Gounod) 66757 1190bm I Grammophon, 1928

Frühlingsstimmen – Walzer (Johann Strauss) 24394 1189 bm 1 Grammophon, 1928

Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Strauss) 66759 1191bm I Grammophon, 1928

Louise (Charpentier) Seit mein Herz 66615 144be Grammophon, 1927

Martha (Flotow) Letzte Rose 62648 306bd Grammophon, 1927

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Heute fällt mein Geschick (w. Domgraf-Fassbaender) 66860 1637BM I Grammophon, 1929

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Warum denn hielt’st du mich sehnend umfangen (w. Domgraf-Fassbaender) 66860 1638BM I Grammophon, 1929

Peer Gynt (Grieg) Solveighs Lied 62648 1579bk I Grammophon, 1928

Postillon de Longjumeau (Adam) Ich soll ihn wiedersehen 66616 133be Grammophon, 1927

Rigoletto (Verdi) Holdes Mädchen (w. Leisner, Roswaenge & Scheidl) 66765 1206bm I Grammophon, 1928

Rigoletto (Verdi) Teurer Name 66760 1197½bm I Grammophon, 1928

Tannhäuser (Wagner) Allmächt’ge Jungfrau 65637 845as Grammophon 1920

Traviata (Verdi) Lebt wohl jetzt 66760 1196bm I Grammophon, 1928

Trovatore (Verdi) Wilde Eifersucht im Herzen (w. Roswaenge & Scheidl) 66765 1209½bm I Grammophon, 1928

Wiegenlied (Flies, attr Mozart) 66757 1186bm I Grammophon, 1928

Zauberflöte (Mozart) Bei Männern (w. Domgraf-Fassbaender) 62669 1928BK I Grammophon, 1929

Zauberflöte (Mozart) Das klinget so herrlich (w. Domgraf-Fassbaender) 66861 1640½BM I Grammophon, 1929