(1) A serious-looking
Erna Denera as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde. Photo by Gerlach.
Published by Hermann Leiser in Berlin, number 6985.
(2) Boston born
Bernice de Pasquali
(1880-1925), originally Bernice James. She studied in Milan, and with Oscar
Saenger in New York. She made her debut in Milan (1900) as Gilda in Rigoletto.
She married Italian tenor Pietro de Pasquali who put together his own opera
troupe, which included his wife as principal soprano. They toured the United
States. Her Metropolitan Opera debut (1909) came when she replaced an ill
Marcella Sembrich as Susanna in a performance of Le Nozze di Figaro. She
remained at that House until 1917 as a principal coloratura soprano. For a
performance of Aida (15 Jan 1910) she appeared as the Priestess under the
pseudonym of Emma Laurier, a practice that singers applied when they chose not
to have a billing.
(3) Adam Didur (24 Dec 1874 - 7 Jan
1946): Polish bass. Stage debut in Rio as Méphistophélès. Sang in London CG,
Buenos Aires, Manhattan Opera, Metropolitan Opera. He created Ashby in the world
premiere of La fanciulla del West, and the Woodcutter in Königskinder.
He was the first U.S. Boris (1913). He was appointed Director of the Warsaw
Opera in 1939 but he could not assume the position due to the outbreak of WW II
and the bombing of Warsaw.
(4) Jean De Reszke [orig. Jan Mieczyslaw]:
Polish tenor (14 Jan 1850 - 3 Apr 1925): Debut as baritone (1874: Turin). Debut
as tenor (1879: Madrid) as title role in Robert le Diable. Paris premiere
John the Baptist (Hérodiade). World premiere Le Cid. Covent
Garden, Met.
(5)
Vasili Damayev: Russian tenor.
Damayev was a
shepherd before he began his singing career. However, without guidance and
training he began singing heavy roles too early in his career. He had the
tendency to over sing during his performances, which resulted in a stray pitch
and loss of tone.
(6) Andreas Dippel:
German tenor and impresario (30 Nov 1866 - 12 May 1932): Originally a banker
while taking singing lessons. His first engagement was in Bremen (1887). He made his
American debut at the Metropolitan Opera (26 Nov 1890). Also sang at Covent
Garden, Munich, Bayreuth. His repertoire consisted of over 150 roles. In 1908 he
became the administrative manager of the Met Opera, and then the Chicago Opera
Company.
(7) Fidès Devriès. French
soprano born in New Orleans, LA (22 Apr 1851 - 1941). From the New York Times on
4 Jul 1884: "Mme. Fidès Devriès is to visit America next season. The lady---
wife of the dentist Adler---has returned to the stage, which she left when
quite young and almost immediately after a very legitimate triumph at the
Grant Opera. Coming after Nilsson, and singing the same roles, the trial was
formidable, but the artist, possessing if not a phenomenal voice, at least a
remarkably sweet tone and a peculiarly quiet and refined method, seemed easily
to win her audience, and her early retreat and apparent sincere resolve never
to appear again in public was quite a distressing disappointment. Like all
other singers, Mme. Adler tired of private life, and Mme. Devries returned
officially to the Italiens last season in Massenet's Herodiade with
great success."
(10) Russian soprano
Sofia Druzyakina
had a fine career in Kiev. She had a large lyric voice that was especially
successful in roles such as Tosca and Tatyana (Eugene Onegin). Her
stage mannerisms were simple and effective.
(11) Welsh tenor Ben
Davies (1858-1943). He sang for many years in the Carl Rosa Opera Company
and after Edward Lloyd's retirement was even more in demand. He inaugurated
the Royal English Opera (now the Palace Theater) in the title role of
Sullivan's Ivanhoe in the world premiere of that work, which the
composer conducted himself. Ben Davies had a beautiful voice but one bad
habit: he often sang with his eyes shut.
(12) Hector Dufranne (25 Oct 1870 - 4 May
1951): Belgian bass-baritone. Debut Brussels, 1896, as Valentine. Also
appeared at the Opéra-Comique where he created Marquis de Saluces in
Grisélidis (1901), Golaud in Pelléas et Melisande (1902),
Amaury-Ganelon in Rabaud's La Fille de Roland (1904), and the
title-role in Leroux's Chemineau (1907). Also had a number of "firsts"
in the USA, singing at the Manhattan Opera and Chicago. Sang until 1939.
(13) Hector Dufranne.
(14) Jeanne Daffetye was Bertrade in the
first performance of
Grisélidis
at the
Opéra-Comique(20
Nov 1901). Seen here as Cherubin.
(15)
One of the most admired singers
in the world of opera was Czechoslovakian soprano
Emmy Destinn (1878-1930). Born
Emmy Kittl, she adopted the surname of her teacher, Marie Loewe-Destinn.
Destinn made her debut (1897) in Dresden as Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana).
She was immediately hired for the Kroll Theatre in Berlin where she remained
for ten years. At Covent Garden in London, where she appeared from 1904
through 1914, she triumphed in roles like Aida (seen here), Cio-Cio-San, and Carmen. Her
debut as Aida at the Metropolitan Opera was on 16 Nov 1908.
(16)
Claire Dux (Witkowicz: 2 Aug 1885 -
Chicago: 8 Oct 1967): German soprano. Studied in Berlin and Milan with Teresa
Arkel. Debut Cologne (1906) as Pamina. Covent Garden (1913) (first English
Sophie), Berlin (1911-18), Chicago (1921-24). Retired early after marrying a
wealthy American. Seen here as Agathe in Weber's
Der Freischütz.
(17)
Austrian baritone
Leopold Demuth
(1861-1910). He made his debut (1889) in Halle in the title role of Hans
Heiling. He had short engagements in Leipzig and Hamburg before settling
in at the Vienna Imperial Opera where he had his finest years. He had one of
the most beautiful baritone voices of his era, outstanding in both the Wagner
and Mozart repertory. His life was cut short when he suffered a heart attack
during a concert in Romania and died.
(18) Raoul DeLay in Sigurd.
(19) Marié DeL'isle:
Paris Opéra ballet.
(20)
French
contralto Marie Delna
(1875-1932) created no less than nine roles for the Opéra-Comique where she
was a favorite with the audiences. However, even with those credentials, she
was overshadowed by an enormous pool of talent when she made her only
appearances at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910. Delna's debut (1892) took place
at the Opéra-Comique as Dido in Les Troyens. At the age of eighteen she
became France's first Charlotte in Werther, and later, the Opéra-Comique's
first Dame Quickly in Falstaff. Some of her other creations for that
House include Marion in La Vivandiere (1895), the title role in
Orphée (1896), Zerline in Don Juan (1896), Fee Grignotte in
Hänsel et Gretel (1900), Marianne in L'Ouragan (1901), and Vieille
Tili in La Lépreuse (1912). There, too, she created the role of
Marcelline in the world premiere of Bruneau's L'attaque du moulin. She
sang this role in the Covent Garden (1894) and Metropolitan Opera (1910)
premieres of this work. She also made appearances at the Monte Carlo Opera, La
Monnaie in Brussels, La Scala, and the Grand Theatre de Parme. Delna
originally announced her retirement in 1902 when she married M.A.H. de Saone,
but within a year she returned to the Opéra-Comique to reprise the role of
Marcelline. Even with her tremendously successful career, Delna died in a
poorhouse. She was buried by the State.
