Description

PÉTUR Á. JÓNSSON (REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND 21-12-1884 – REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND 14-04-1956)

He first received an education as a teacher at the University of Copenhagen. In 1911, he studied singing in Berlin and made his debut in 1912 at the Kurfürsten-Oper in Berlin. During the 1914-1918 seasons, Jonsson appeared at the Municipal Theatre in Kiel, and from 1918 to 1922, he was with the Landestheater in Darmstadt. In Darmstadt, he sang in the premieres of the operas Sonnenflammen by Siegfried Wagner (1918) and Scirocco by Eugene d’Albert (1922). From 1922 to 1924, he was a member of the Deutschen Oper in Berlin, and from 1924 to 1929, he performed at the Municipal Theatre in Bremen. He continued to perform as a guest artist in Berlin until 1931, after which he returned to his native Iceland, where he focused primarily on education. He made successful guest appearances in Holland, Poland, and Switzerland. His repertoire included roles such as Florestan in Fidelio, Siegmund in Die Walküre, Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Tristan, Tannhäuser, Parsifal, the Emperor in Die Frau ohne Schatten by R. Strauss, Francesco in Don Juans letztes Abenteuer by P. Graener, Admetus in Alkestis by E. Wellesz, Samson in Samson et Dalila by C. Saint-Saëns, Don José in Carmen, the Duke in Rigoletto, Riccardo in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, Alvaro in La forza del destino, Ernani, Canio in Pagliacci, and Cavaradossi in Tosca.

Chronology of some appearances

1912 Berlin Kurfürsten-Oper

1914-1918 Kiel Municipal Theatre

1918-1922 Darmstadt Landestheater

1922-1924 Berlin Deutschen Oper

1924-1929 Bremen Municipal Theatre

TRACKLIST

1. Lohengrin (Wagner): Gralsöngurinn (In fernem Land) Z183 CS2743 HMV, København 1928-08-27
2. Carmen (Bizet): Blómarian (La fleur) Z182 CS2757
3. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Stets soll nur dir mein Lied ertönen P1343 2-5779 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-03-21
4. Tannhäuser (Wagner): Sängerstreit P1343 2-5780 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-03-21
5. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Selig wie die Sonne (w. Bettendorf, Mancke, Engel & Werner) Parlophon P1504 2-6355 Parlophon, Berlin 1923-05-23
6. Á hendur fel Ϸú honum (Haydn) X3262 BE2005 HMV, København 1929-09-24
7. Augun bláu (Einarsson) X916 621Am Gramophone, København 1920-08-24
8. Eldgamla Ísafold (trad) X918 624Am Gramophone, København 1920-08-24
9. Gissur riður góðum fáki (Thorsteinsson) X3618 BT5155 HMV, København 1930-09-15
10. Lofið vorn Drottin (-) X3263 BE2002 HMV, København 1929-09-24
11. Lofsöngur (Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur) (Beethoven) X2816 BS2747 HMV, København 1928-08-27
12. Ó, Ϸá náð eiga Jesú (Converze) X3262 BE2000 HMV, København 1929-09-24
13. O. guð vors lands (Sveinbjörnsson) X2816 BS2749 HMV, København 1928-08-27
14. Sólskrikjan (Laxdal) X2637 Bk2403 HMV, København 1927-10-11
15. Systkinin (Thorsteinsson) X2637 Bk2404 HMV, København 1927-10-11
16. Vor guð er borg á bjargi traust (Ein feste Burg) (Luther) X3263 BE2001 HMV, København 1929-09-24
17. Sólskrikjan (Laxdal) 282581 13762L Gramophone, Berlin 1912-04-16
18. Vorgydjan kemur (Thorsteinsson) 282580 13761L Gramophone, Berlin 1912-04-16