Description

CARL MARTIN ÖHMAN (OEHMAN) (FLODA, SWEDEN, SEPTEMBER 4, 1887 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, DECEMBER 9, 1967)

 

 

 

 

He was the son of a Lutheran priest. In 1907, after completing his education at the military academy, he became a lieutenant. That same year, he began studying piano, organ, and music theory at the Royal Conservatoire in Stockholm. He then received vocal training under pedagogue Carl Gentzel in Stockholm, later perfecting his technique with the legendary tenor Giuseppe (Jose) Oxilia and Enrico Quadri in Milan. In 1914, he made his debut as a concert singer. In 1917, he debuted as an opera singer at the Stora Teatern in Gothenburg in Fra Diavolo by D. Auber. He remained engaged in Gothenburg until 1923, but starting in 1919, he also began performing at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

In 1921, he appeared as a soloist with a Swedish student choir in Berlin, attracting the attention of the famous conductor Bruno Walter, who assigned him a solo part in the oratorio Samson. In 1924, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Laca in Jenůfa (opposite Maria Jeritza in the title role) by L. Janáček. In 1926, 1929, and 1934, he performed at the Zoppot Festival in Richard Wagner’s operas. He also appeared at the Vienna State Opera in 1927 and 1929. From 1925 to 1937, he was a member of the Städtische Oper in Berlin, where he had a successful career, singing in the 1930 premiere of G. Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra and in Don Carlos in 1931.

In 1928, he made guest appearances at Covent Garden in London as Tannhäuser and as Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In the late 1930s, he performed in Stockholm and Gothenburg as Prince Sou-Chong in F. Lehár’s operetta Das Land des Lächelns. Between 1927 and 1941, he frequently guested in Stockholm. As a concert singer, he made successful appearances in Paris in 1927 and 1929 and in Amsterdam in 1935. Though he officially retired in 1937, he continued to appear in concert, performing Das Lied von der Erde by Gustav Mahler in Amsterdam in 1940.

Later, he taught singing in Stockholm, where he counted Nicolai Gedda and Martti Talvela among his students. In 1927, he received the Swedish order Litteris et Artibus, and in 1933, he was appointed a Swedish court singer. From 1928 to 1943, he was married to the soprano Isobel Ghasal-Öhman (1896–1989), who enjoyed a successful operatic and concert career.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1917-1923 Gothenburg Stora Teatern

1919-1941 Stockholm Royal Opera

1924 New York Metropolitan Opera

1925-1937 Berlin Urban Opera

1927 Vienna State Opera

1928 London Covent Garden

1929 Vienna State Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Tannhäuser (Wagner) Inbrunst im Herzen… Da sah ich ihn E10681, E10681, 2-20526, 2-20527 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-12-20

Tonerna (Sjöberg) S42621 1703bk I Polyphon, Berlin 1928-10

Tosca (Puccini) Det sköna står att finna S42105 2334ar Polyphon, Göteborg 1923-03

Tosca (Puccini) Hah! Geleit für Floria Tosca… Wisse, nah’ ist die Stunde… Und sie kommen nicht (w. Seinemeyer) P2219, P2219, HMB64, 2-8583, 2-8584, 2-8585 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-02-12

Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia (Sw.) Polyphon S92230

Turandot (Puccini) Keiner Schlafe P9623 2-8952 Parlophon, Berlin 1926-11-09

Turandot (Puccini) O weine nicht, Liù P9623 2-8953-2 Parlophon, Berlin 1927-11-21

Var hälsad sköna morgonstund (Nicolai) S42181 2571ar Polyphon, København 1923-07

Xerxes (Händel) Largo V201 BE1855-2 HMV, Stockholm 1929-08-29