Elisabeth Schumann

Elisabeth Schumann (13 June 1888 in Merseburg – 23 April 1952 in New York) was a German lyric soprano who sang in opera, operetta, oratorio, and lieder. She left a substantial legacy of recordings.

Career

Schumann trained for a singing career in Berlin and Dresden. She made her stage debut in Hamburg in 1909. Her initial career started in the lighter soubrette roles that expanded into mostly lyrical roles, some coloratura roles, and even a few dramatic roles. As issues that lead to World War I threatening Europe, she came to the United States where she joined faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia

During World War II she lived in New York City, where she gave recitals, but concentrated mostly on teaching. After the war she returned to London in 1945, and made a successful comeback.

She was a much-loved artist, admired for her vivacity, elegance, and beauty. She was closely connected with Richard Strauss, Otto Klemperer, Lotte Lehmann, Bruno Walter, Wilhelm Furtwängler, and other leading musicians of the first half of the 20th century.

Honors

Honorary Member of the Vienna State Opera and the first female Honorary Member of the Vienna Philharmonic. [ [http://www.naxos.com/artistinfo/bio1421.htm Naxos Digital Services] , retrieved on December 3 2007.]

Opera Roles

:* Abisag, "Daniel in der Löwengrube" (Weigl) :* Adele, "Die Fledermaus" (Johann Strauss II):* Albertine, "Die Brautwahl" (Busoni) :* Amore, "Orfeo ed Euridice" (Gluck) :* Anna, "L'Africaine" (Meyerbeer) :* Ännchen, "Der Freischütz" (Weber):* Annina, "La traviata" (Verdi) :* Antonia, "Les contes d'Hoffmann" (Offenbach):* Arsena, "Der Zigeunerbaron" (Johann Strauss II):* Arsinoe, "Die toten Augen" (Eugen d'Albert):* Barbarina, "Le nozze di Figaro" (Mozart) :* Bastienne, "Bastien und Bastienne" (Mozart):* Bianca, "Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung" (Hermann Goetz) :* Blondchen, "The Abduction from the Seraglio" (Mozart):* Blumenmädchen, "Parsifal" (Wagner):* Bronislawa, "Der Bettelstudent" (Karl Millöcker) :* Cherubino, "Le nozze di Figaro" (Mozart) :* Chorknabe, "Le Prophète" (Meyerbeer) :* Cornelia, "Meister Grobian" (Arnold Winternitz) :* Cupidon, "Orphée aux enfers" (Offenbach) :* Despina, "Così fan tutte" (Mozart):* Dianora, "Mona Lisa" (Max von Schillings):* Page, "Lohengrin" (Wagner):* Page, "Tannhäuser" (Wagner):* First boy, "Die Zauberflöte" (Mozart) :* Eva, "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (Wagner) :* Frasquita, "Carmen" (Bizet):* Friedensbote, "Rienzi" (Wagner) :* Gänsemagd, "Königskinder" (Humperdinck) :* Gerhilde, "Die Walküre" (Wagner):* Gretel, "Hänsel und Gretel" (Humperdinck):* Hannerl, "Das Dreimäderlhaus" (Heinrich Berté):* Heimchen, "The Cricket on the Hearth" (Karl Goldmark):* Ida, "Die Fledermaus" (Johann Strauss II):* Ilia, "Idomeneo" (Mozart):* Shepherd boy, "Tannhäuser" (Wagner):* The composer, "Ariadne auf Naxos" (Richard Strauss):* Esquire, "Parsifal" (Wagner):* Laura, "Der Ring des Polykrates" (Korngold):* Apprentice, "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (Wagner):* Lola, "Cavalleria Rusticana" (Mascagni) :* Luise, "Ferdinand und Luise" (Julius Zaiczek-Blankenau):* Maid, "Martha" (Flotow):* Malgherita, "Meister Andrea" (Felix von Weingartner) :* Marenka, "The Bartered Bride" (Smetana):* Margiana, "Der Barbier von Baghdad" (Peter Cornelius):* Marguerite, "Faust" (Gounod):* Marie, "Zar und Zimmermann" (Albert Lortzing):* Marzellina, "Fidelio" (Beethoven):* Micaëla, "Carmen" (Bizet):* Mignon, "Mignon" (Thomas) :* Mimì, "La bohème" (Puccini):* Musetta, "La bohème" (Puccini):* Najade (Naiad), "Ariadne auf Naxos" (Richard Strauss):* Nanette, "Der Wildschütz" (Lortzing):* Nannetta, "Falstaff" (Verdi):* Nedda, "Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo):* Norina, "Don Pasquale" (Donizetti):* Nuri, "Tiefland" (Eugen d'Albert) :* Octavian, "Der Rosenkavalier" (Richard Strauss):* Pamina, "Die Zauberflöte" (Mozart):* Papagena, "Die Zauberflöte" (Mozart):* Pepa, "Tiefland" (Eugen d'Albert):* Rheintochter, "Götterdämmerung" (Wagner):* Rose, "Lakmé" (Delibes) :* Rose, "Le postillon de Lonjumeau" (Adolphe Adam) :* Sandman, "Hänsel und Gretel" (Humperdinck) :* Serpina, "La serva padrona" (Pergolesi) :* Sophie, "Der Rosenkavalier" (Richard Strauss):* Susanna, "The Marriage of Figaro" (Mozart):* Suschen, "Die beiden Schützen" (Lortzing):* Dew fairy, "Hänsel und Gretel" (Humperdinck):* Valentin, "La chanson de Fortunio" (Offenbach):* Veronika, "Die Schneider von Schönau" (Jan Brandts-Buys) :* Vertraute, "Elektra" (Richard Strauss):* Forest bird, "Siegfried" (Wagner):* Wellgunde, "Das Rheingold" (Wagner):* Wellgunde, "Götterdämmerung" (Wagner):* Woglinde, "Das Rheingold" (Wagner):* Woglinde, "Götterdämmerung" (Wagner):* Yvonne, "Jonny spielt auf" (Krenek) :* Zelmire, "Le cadi dupé" (Gluck) :* Zerlina, "Don Giovanni" (Mozart):* Zerline, "Fra Diavolo" (Auber)

Notes

Biography

"Elisabeth Schumann" by (her son) Gerd Puritz (edited and translated by her granddaughter Joy Puritz), published by Grant and Cutler Ltd., London ISBN 0-7293-0394-2

External links

* [http://www.elisabethschumann.org/ The Elisabeth Schumann Website] , has extensive materials on Elisabeth Schumann, including a discography and an online exhibition of photographs