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. Der selt’ne Beter, pt 1, pt 2 (Loewe) DX65, DX65, WAX4892, WAX4893 Columbia, London 1929-04-30
2. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Hier sitz’ ich L2341 WAX4925 Columbia, London 1929-05-17
3. Im kühlen Keller (Fischer) L2353 WAX4890 Columbia, London 1929-05-16
4. Juive (Halévy) Wenn ew’ger Hass (Cavatina) DWX1318 WAX4898 Columbia, London 1929-05-01
5. Macbeth (Verdi) Etwas rascher, mein Junge DWX1318 WAX4926 Columbia, London 1929-05-17
6. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Nun hört, und versteht mich recht L2341 WAX4927 Columbia, London 1929-05-17
7. Nachtgang (R Strauss) DWX1391 WAX4908 Columbia, London 1929-05-07
8. Ruhe, meine Seele (R Strauss) DWX1391 WAX4909 Columbia, London 1929-05-07
9. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Ein furchtbares Verbrechen LX93 WAX5865 Columbia, Berlin (Bayreuth) 1930
10. Tom der Reimer, pt 1 (Loewe) L2372 WAX4911 Columbia, London 1929-05-07
11. Tom der Reimer, pt 2 (Loewe) L2372 WAX4911 Columbia, London 1929-05-07
12. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Der oder Tag zum letzten Mal! (w. Graarud & Sättler) L2200 WAX3947 Columbia, Bayreuth 1928-07
13. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Dieß wundervolle Weib L2201 WAX3949 Columbia, Bayreuth 1928-07
14. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Tod denn Alles (w. Helm) L2205 WAX3953 Columbia, Bayreuth 1928-07
15. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Wozu die Dienste ohne Zahl L2201 WAX3948 Columbia, Bayreuth 1928-07