Historic Opera

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL

Bayreuther Bühnen-Festspiele: Although singers in Bayreuth appeared in earlier composite postcards (see Bayreuth - Composite Postcards), the Bayreuth postcards on this page are the earliest dedicated solely to singers at the Festivals. These cards were produced around 1908-1909. The varieties can be generally distinguished by changes in the design and publisher. Of course, there were earlier images of Bayreuth singers, but those appeared primarily on cabinet cards.

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American born soprano (Norristown, PA: 1876 - Queens, NY: 3 Jan 1953) Gertrude Rennyson. Rennyson graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. After studies in Paris (with Trabadelo) she toured with the Henry W. Savage Opera Company. At the Tremont Theatre in Boston (19 Oct 1903) she was seen as Tosca. Latter in 1903 she appeared as Marguerite (Faust) at the West End Theatre (NY) with the English Grand Opera Company (a Savage production). In 1909 she sang her Elsa at Covent Garden (London) under an assumed name, Elsa Vania. She was called the greatest Elsa that London had seen in a long time. Rennyson said, "My reason for assuming another name is that it is well known that for an artist to sing in English opera hurts her professionally on the Continent, and, as the Carl Rosa management wanted ability rather than a name, I was glad to accept a four weeks' engagement on my merits as an artist under an assumed name, never dreaming of being discovered. I have been singing this year in Dresden and Bayreuth, and I have a splendid offer from Dresden for a five years' contract, but naturally I want to sing in my native country, and before closing I am hoping that negotiations with Mr. Dippel of the Metropolitan Opera House will end in taking me back to American next year." However, she gave only one Sunday Concert (April 9, 1911) with the Met. In 1912 she was singing with the Boston Opera Company. The outbreak of World War I caused her to cancel her engagements with the Royal Opera of Dresden, and she returned to the United States. Her last residence was 460 Beach 22nd Street, Far Rockaway, Queens.

Carl Braun. German bass (Meisenheim, Germany: 2 Jun 1886 - Hamburg: 24 Apr 1960). A pupil of the Berlin Imperial Opera. Sang with the Wiesbaden Royal Opera (1906-11), Vienna Imperial Opera (1911-12), Berlin City Opera (1912-14). Sang for many years at the Bayreuth Festivals (1906-31). Metropolitan Opera (1912-17), Berlin State Opera (1920-27). Seen here as Fafner.

Swedish soprano Lily Hafgren-Waag (1884-1965) made her Bayreuth debut in the role of Freia (Das Rheingold), seen here. She was invited by Siegfried Wagner to the 1909 Festival, subsequently returning in 1911, 1912 and 1924. She was a favorite Elsa, and her Eva was highly praised by the Bayreuth critics. Her successes in Bayreuth led to contracts in Mannheim and Berlin.

German bass Lorenz Corvinus (Frankfurt: 20 Jul 1870 - Vienna: 18 Jan 1952) as Fasolt. In 1894 he was singing in the choir at the Weimar Hofttheater. After 1900 he was singing opera in Berlin, Elberfeld, Strassburg, and Vienna. He sang at the Bayreuth Festivals from 1906-09. Corvinus also sang in Amsterdam, London, Mannheim, Cologne, and the Hofoper in Berlin.

Austrian soprano Anna von Mildenburg (1872-1947) made her debut (1897) in Hamburg. In that same year she made her first of many appearances at the Bayreuth Festivals. Her first contract (1897) with the Vienna Court Opera stipulated that her salary be 14,000 guilders per year. With that she was required to fulfill ten performances per month with no leave of absence other than theater vacations and a summer break. Although von Mildenburg was married to the poet and playwright Hermann Bahr, she was romantically linked to the married conductor Gustav Mahler with whom she often worked and who was largely responsible for building her career.

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