Description

IVAR FRITHIOF ANDRÉSEN (KRISTIANIA (TODAY OSLO), 27 JULY, 1896 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 6 NOVEMBER, 1940)

He trained at the Royal Opera School in Stockholm under the guidance of Gillis W. Bratt and Hjaldis Ingebjart. Initially thought to have a tenor voice, he was later retrained as a bass during his studies. He was introduced to the Wagnerian style by Siegfried Wagner in Bayreuth and Bruno Kittel in Berlin. His debut came in 1919 as the King in Verdi’s Aida at the Stockholm Opera, where he also performed in the 1925 world premiere of Kurt Atterberg’s opera Bäckahästen. He remained a member of the Stockholm Opera until 1926, after which he joined the Dresden State Opera, serving there until 1934.

During his time in Dresden, he performed the role of Flounder in the 1930 world premiere of Othmar Schoeck’s opera Vom Fischer un syner Fru, significantly contributing to the Verdi Renaissance in Germany, particularly at the Dresden Opera. Renowned for his Wagnerian roles, he performed at the Zoppot Festival in 1935–36 and held an engagement at the Berlin Municipal Opera from 1931, debuting as Daland in The Flying Dutchman. He was a member of the Berlin State Opera from 1934 to 1939.

Internationally, he made guest appearances at Covent Garden (1928–31) as a Wagner singer and as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona (1929), and at the State Operas in Vienna (1927), Hamburg, and Munich. In 1930, he joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York, debuting as Daland and remaining there until 1932. He also took part in the American premiere of J. Weinberger’s Schwanda the Bagpiper at the Met in 1931.

At the Bayreuth Festival, he performed roles like Gurnemanz in Parsifal and Marke in Tristan in 1927, later taking on nearly all Wagnerian roles suited to his voice, including Fasolt, Hunding, Pogner in Die Meistersinger, the Landgrave in Tannhäuser, and Titurel in Parsifal, until 1936. His notable guest performances included appearances at the Grand Opéra in Paris (1931), Zurich City Theatre (1934), and the Amsterdam Wagner Society (1936) as King Henry in Lohengrin. He was celebrated as Sarastro and Osmin at the 1935 Glyndebourne Festival.

In 1939, he participated in Germany’s first television broadcast of an opera, performing as Colas in Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne. Tragically, he passed away suddenly in Stockholm at the age of 44. Among his students was the Swedish bass Sven Nilsson. Known for his beautifully rich bass voice, he was esteemed both for his Wagner interpretations and his portrayals of comedic characters like Osmin, Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro, and Abul Hassan in Cornelius’s The Barber of Bagdad. Additionally, he was celebrated in the concert hall for his performances in oratorio and as a distinguished singer of songs and ballads.

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) Bringt den Göttern Dank (w. Seinemeyer, Jung, Hirzel, Burg, Bader & chorus) O-8717 2-20418 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-11-01
2. Aida (Verdi) Heil dir, Ägypten, Isis Heil (w. Seinemeyer, Jung, Hirzel, Burg, Bader & chorus) O-8718 2-20420 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-11-01
3. Aida (Verdi) Zeig’ dich Herr, diesen Horden (w. Seinemeyer, Jung, Hirzel, Burg, Bader & chorus) O-8718 2-20419 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-11-01
4. Aida (Verdi) Zu des Niles heiligen Ufern (w. Seinemeyer, Jung, Hirzel, Bader & chorus) O-8717 2-20417 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-11-01
5. Forza del destino (Verdi) Die heilige Klause soll er bewohnen (w. chorus) P9611 2-20543 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-12-27
6. Forza del destino (Verdi) Du wirst den Schritt beim Morgenrot hinein zur Hütte wenden (w. Seinemeyer) O-7648 2-20547 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-12-27
7. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Choral P9064 2-8993 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-26
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Gott grüß euch (w. Habich & chorus) P9249 2-20401 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-10-13
9. Lohengrin (Wagner) Gott grüß euch, liebe Männer von Brabant P9064 2-8994 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-26
10. Lohengrin (Wagner) Mein Herr und Gott (w. Habich) P9249 2-20402 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-10-13
11. Parsifal (Wagner) Verwandlungsmusik P9155 2-20348 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-09-20
12. Parsifal (Wagner) Vom Bade kehrt der König heim (w. Pistor) P9155 2-20347 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-09-20
13. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) tatest du’s wirklich P9534 2-20349 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-09-20
14. Zauberflöte (Mozart) In diesen heil’gen Hallen P9045 2-8992 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-26
15. Zauberflöte (Mozart) O Isis und Osiris P9045 2-8991 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-26
16. Zauberflöte (Mozart) O Isis uns Osiris P9045 2-8991 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-26