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. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Hier sitz’ ich zur Wacht 4-042063 CLR3883 HMV, Berlin 1928-02-17
2. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Hoi-Ho! (Hagens Ruf’) (w. chorus) 4-042018 CDR4708 HMV, Berlin 1927-06-21
3. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Schlugen wir Tiere (w. chorus) 4-042019 CDR4709 HMV, Berlin 1927-06-21
4. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Welches Unhold’s List… O Undank… Dich verriet er unpubl CLR3975-1,1A CLR3976-1,1A CLR3977-1,1A HMV, Berlin 1928-03-21
5. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) O Gott, steh’ jetzt mir bei (Choral) 4-042062 CLR3876 HMV, Berlin 1928-02-16
6. Lohengrin (Wagner) Bön (Gebet) 2-0282010 49AR Gramophone, Stockholm 1921-01-28
7. Lohengrin (Wagner) Gott grüß euch (Ansprache des Königs) 4-042034 CLR3885 HMV, Berlin 1928-02-17
8. Lohengrin (Wagner) Kungens bön (Gebet) 2-0282022 CT1593 HMV, Stockholm 1925-05-28 (ac)
9. Parsifal (Wagner) Des Sünders Reuetränen sind es (Charfreitagszauber) (w. chorus) 4-042020 CDR4710 HMV, Berlin 1927-06-21
10. Parsifal (Wagner) Titurel, der fromme Held (w. chorus) 4-042021 CDR4711 HMV, Berlin 1927-06-21
11. Requiem (Verdi) Confutatis 2-0282021 CT1592 HMV, Stockholm 1925-05-28 (ac)
12. Tannhäuser (Wagner) Gar viel und schön (Ansprache des Landgrafen) 4-042033 CLR3884 HMV, Berlin 1928-02-17
13. Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) Kurnewal, hör (w. Habich, Noe & Guszalewicz) 2-044032 CwR1327 HMV, Berlin 1927-11-09